Cold as Ice (Sasuke Love Story)
by tory819
Summary: [SasukexOC] Can you remember what happened in your past? Can you remember your mom? Your dad? Can you remember all the members of your family? I can't remember any of them or anything about my past... Does a simple touch make your skin crawl? This happens to me and reason why is because of the only thing I can remember, darkness...
1. Intro

Can you remember what happened in your past? Can you remember your mom? Your dad? Can you remember all the members of your family? I can't remember any of them or anything about my past... Does a simple touch make your skin crawl? This happens to me and reason why is because of the only thing I can remember, darkness. My whole clan, the Irai's, wiped out in a single night. The 3rd Hokage saved my life and took me under his wing but I can't remember a single thing of my past up until I woke up in Konoha.

My name is Tara Irai, I don't like to be touched and if you ask anyone they will probably tell you that I am distant and easily angered and I won't deny any of that. I have long black hair down to my waist always tied up with long bangs lose around my face. I have dark brown eyes that look almost black and my clan mark on my right eye. I wear a turquoise long sleeve shirt; sleeves are black slightly covering my hands, with tears in the sleeves and around the sides of my ribs with a long sleeve turquoise net shirt underneath. I wear short turquoise skirt four inches over my knee with two black stripes on the left and three rips on the right with black ninja boots. My headband is around forehead and my ninja weapons pack is around my right thigh.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Tora's P.O.V_**

Today was the day of the graduation test; half the classes had already gone except me and couple others. Naruto was taking the exam know and I doubt he'll pass and for some strange reason I felt bad for him. Right then he came out looking as sad as ever. He didn't pass. I was called in next and told to the clone jutsu. I did and passed with flying colors. I was handed the headband and tied it around my forehead. After a while everyone had passed, except Naruto that is. He was on the swing under a tree looking miserable. I couldn't take it anymore. I went over to talk to him.

_'Why the hell am I doing this any way? It's not like we're friends or anything.' I said to myself as I walked over to where he was._

"Hey, you ok?" I asked not having anything else to say.

"Huh? Why are _you_ here? Came to brag about how you passed and I didn't."

"Naruto you think I'm that cold all I wanted to do was see if you were ok. But whatever seeing as how you're acting mean I'll just leave."

I was about ready to walk away when I heard some women talking and giving Naruto some nasty looks.

_"Hey isn't that the kid. He was the only one who failed."_

_ "Serves him right."_

_ "If he becomes a ninja it's only going to cause trouble"_

_ "Because he's really-"_

_ "Hey, it's forbidden to say anything more than that."_

By hearing that Naruto looked even sadder.

"Come on Naruto don't look so sad. Maybe you'll have better luck next time." I said but in return all I got was a confused look on his face. And I started to walk away.

"Hey, wait Tora! Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden? I thought you didn't like me?"

His question caught me off guard to tell you the truth I didn't know why myself. But me feeling concerned or helpful was really a cause for worry. It wasn't something normal for me and if made a lot of room for questions.

"Don't get me wrong Naruto I don't like anyone. And as to why I'm being nice? I do not know." I said and continued walking away back to home.

_Next Day:_

It was late in the afternoon and I was walking into the academy going to see the Hokage about my picture for the ninja registration form seeing as how I did not feel like taking it. Getting close to the room where he was in I started to hear arguing.

"You tripped on your own feet dork"

"Hey you! Take your hands off of him right now! He's the honorable grandson, of the honorable 3rd Hokage!"

I walked into the room without even thinking. And I saw Naruto holding up Konohamaru ready to punch him.

"Naruto what are you doing?" I said and everyone looked over to me.

"Ahh. Tora what took you so long you were supposed to be here an hour ago." the Hokage said.

"What's the matter? I thought you were going to hit me tough guy! Afraid because the 3rd Hokage is my grandfather!" yelled Konohamaru.

"Moron, now you're going to get it." I said looking the other way.

"I don't care if he's your grandmother!" yelled Naruto punching him in the head.

Naruto left after that and Ebisu started to give Konohamaru a lecture about staying away from Naruto. While I got a lecture on how I needed to get my picture taken. In the mettle of it Ebisu started to panic.

"Where did he go!" he yelled looking all around like a crazy person.

"I think he followed Naruto, but I have no idea where they're going." Said the Hokage.

Right then he stormed out of the room yelling 'Honorable Grandson!' which strangely caused me to laugh a little. Which caused the Hokage to look at me surprised, because fact being I hardly ever did.

"You're laughing…?"

"No. I'm not."

"Anyway, you need to get your picture taken."

"Fine." I gave in. I wasn't in the mood to be arguing. I walked out of the room and went and got my picture taken.


	3. Chapter 2

I was in the classroom sitting in my seat behind Naruto and Sasuke… Mr. Attitude. When Sakura and Ino come in fighting on who got there first.

"5, 4-" I started to countdown when Naruto interrupts me.

"Hey, Tora why are you counting down for?" Asked Naruto turning towards me, I ignored him and continued the countdown.

"3, 2, 1." When I finished Sakura came running pushing Naruto to the floor to talk to Sasuke. I never really got why every girl was so head over heels in love with Sasuke. I mean he's a self-centered jerk, thinking he's the best at everything.

"Good morning Sasuke." Said Sakura but all he did was glare at her.

"Mind if I sit next to you?" and soon enough Ino showed up and started arguing with Sakura. Then a whole bunch of other girls showed up and began to argue. With Naruto caught in the mettle, getting angrier by the second.

**_Hokage's P.O.V._**

I was with some of my jonin observing some of the students' trough my crystal ball. Now their attention was focused on Sasuke.

"Most promising new student Sasuke Uchiha. Is that him?" asked one of my jonin.

"Yes. He's the one." I answered.

"He's the only survivor left from the Uchiha Clan," said Kurenai.

"That's right." I answered.

"What about the girl behind him? Tora Irai." Asked Kakashi.

"Also the last survivor of The Irai Clan." Added Kurenai.

"Her clan was destroyed by Orochimaru. Was it not?" asked Kakashi.

"Yes, but she has no memory of that event." Added Asuma.

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

All hell was breaking lose in the classroom and all because of that damned Uchiha. Naruto couldn't take it anymore and climbed on to the desk in front of Sasuke. And started glaring at Sasuke, then some guy behind Naruto bumped into him and Naruto and Sasuke were caught in a lip lock. They pulled away immediately and acted as if they were choking. I couldn't help but laugh at the events that were taking place: Naruto kissing Sasuke and the girls beating up Naruto.

"Oh my God! Tora is laughing!" Sakura yelled.

Everyone immediately turned their attention to me. I mean it was very strange for me to laugh and I didn't even realize it till Sakura pointed it out. I slapped myself once I realized it and everyone just stared at me like I was nuts. And I felt nuts too, I mean first I'm actually worried about Naruto and now I'm laughing. Then Iruka came in the classroom and everyone sat down. He started to tell us about how hard it was to become a ninja and some other stuff but I just tuned him out and put my head down till he finished talking. Once he finished he started to announce the teams and that's when I started to pay attention.

"I will now announce the teams every team will consist of three people, but do to the odd number of students this year one will consist of four"

He paused and took a look at the paper he was holding.

"Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno," Naruto jumped up, but she looked sad. "Sasuke Uchiha and-"

_'Please don't say my name! Please don't say my name!' _

But my hopes where crushed when he said: "and Tora Irai"

_'Damn it!' _I thought.

After he finished announcing the rest of the Teams Naruto stud up and said.

"Iruka sensei! Why does a Great ninja like me have to be in the same group with a slug like Sasuke?"

"Sasuke had the best scores of all the graduating students. You Naruto had the worst. To create a balanced group we put the best student with the worst." I hate the Uchiha. He's very arrogant and self-centered. Thinks he's the best at everything, he really pisses me off.

After that we all went to eat lunch so later to meet up with our new sensei. I meet up with Shikamaru who unfortunately was with his new team. But don't get me wrong I like Shikamaru and he and I have been friends since I can remember, Choji being a really fun person to be around, especially when you take away his food, but Ino she and her 'love' for Sasuke was annoying. We were in the mettle of a conversation when we see Naruto sneak attack Sasuke.

"What's he thinking there's no way he could possibly win." I said to myself, a part of me hopping he did. But I was soon proven right when Sasuke came out without so much as even breaking a sweat.

"Ha! That's my boy Sasuke!" Yelled Ino with her hands up in the air.

"Whatever" I said getting up.

"Hey, Tora where are you going?" Shikamaru asked me curiously as I got up.

"To see if Naruto is okay…" heading to the window.

"That's not like you Tora. Are you feeling alright?" he said surprised. I waved my hand at him telling him I was fine. God only knew why I wanted to see if he was okay, because it sure wasn't like me to help someone especially if I didn't like them.

When I went in I was surprised to see that Naruto wasn't the one tied up but Sasuke, he gave me a _tell-anyone-and-I'll-kill-you look_, before I went over and pulled the type off his mouth.

"Untie Me," he ordered.

I sure as hell wasn't going to untie him, because part of me was enjoying this and I sure as hell wasn't taking orders from him.

"I'm not one of your fangirls Uchiha, you can't order me around. And besides I'm enjoying the fact that you got beat by Naruto and are all tied up..." I paused, acting as if I was thinking. "I won't untie you."

"Untie Me!" he said angrily at me.

"No…" I thought for a moment. If I'm going to untie him I was going to make this fun for me. "Not unless you ask nicely." I smiled and waited for an answer, but when I didn't get one I sat cross-legged in front of him and we began to glare at each other. I could see he was struggling to get free and getting nowhere and it was fun to watch especially since it was him.

"Please… untie me." He said in a sign of defeat sounding as if it actually hurt him to say it.

"Fine." I said pulling out a kunai from my pouch and bending over to cut the ropes. Once I did, I figured I'd mess with him and tell him, "You know Uchiha; you could have just used the escape jutsu." I smiled at his reaction. Without even turning around he said, "Whatever." and continued walking away to find Naruto I guess.


	4. Chapter 3

We were waiting in the classroom for our new sensei to arrive and Naruto was sticking an eraser between the doors.

"This is what he gets for being late." Said Naruto.

"You're asking for trouble you know you shouldn't do that." Said Sakura.

_'Cha' I love stuff like this!' _I accidentally activated my kekkei genkai, not only that but I've been having trouble controlling it too; activating and deactivating on its own. I didn't like hearing others thoughts especially not the ones of the people in this room.

"Our teachers a jonin, an elite ninja. You'd think he fall for that?" Sasuke said in a smug attitude.

"You know as much as I hate to agree with him, but the Uchiha is right." I said in unwilling agreement.

I should have kept my mouth shut because talking only caused Sakura to look over with a scared expression and start asking questions as to why my eyes look different.

"Hey, Tora what's wrong with your eyes?"

"Nothing..." I said putting my head down on the desk and concentrating on deactivating the Irai. But no sooner did I deactivate it, our sensei come through the door falling for Naruto's prank.

_'What an idiot sensei we got stuck with.' _I thought.

"My first impression of this group is that you're all a bunch of idiots" was the first thing our sensei said.

"Wha-" said Sakura, and Naruto.

"So I guess that makes you an idiot too. Seeing as how you got stuck with us." I said with a smirk, but all he did was ignore my comment and take us to the roof.

We were sitting in order from left to right Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke and me. Our idiot sensei was sitting on the rail.

"Okay, so why don't you introduce yourselves? One at a time." He said.

"Introduce ourselves? What do you mean?" Asked Sakura.

"Things you like things you hate, dreams for the future, hobbies stuff like that." He said lifting his hands to the side, which made him look kind of stupid.

"Why don't you talk first? So we can see how it's supposed to work." Said Naruto.

"Me I'm Kakashi Hatake, things I like and things I hate… I don't feel like telling you that. Dreams for my future mmm… haven't really thought about it, and as for my hobbies, I have lots of hobbies. Now you." he said pointing to Naruto.

"Believe it! I'm Naruto Uzumaki…." I sort of ignored everything else he said and I ignored Sakura too seeing as how all she was going to talk about was Sasuke.

"Now you" said Kakashi looking at Sasuke.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and destroy a certain someone." He said with a serious tone that everyone just stared at him.

"Uuuu the Uchiha has got problems…" I taunted. He tsked at me before glaring as Naruto tried to hold back a laugh. And I had to say it was fun messing with him, way better than bothering Choji or Shikamaru.

"And the last one." Kakashi said pointing at me.

"My name is Tora Irai. Things I like, there aren't many things I like, for that fact people I like, I don't like to be told what to do and I don't like to be touched. Oh. And I really don't like Pretty boy over there," I said pointing to Sasuke, which caused Sakura to glare at me. "Let's see hobbies… none I'm willing to share and as for my dreams for the future, I don't care."

_'Just as I thought they would be'_ I heard Kakashi's thoughts. _'What's wrong with me today? I keep activating my kekkei genkai without noticing."_

"Hey Tora, what's wrong with your eyes? There black and blue." Asked Naruto, causing everyone to look over to you. "Just like before." Added Sakura.

"Damn it! What's wrong with me today?" I said getting up and starting to walk away. "Hey, Wait where are you going?" yelled Naruto. I turned around to answer him. "On a walk" I said turning back around.

"Tora be at the-" I interrupted him. "Designated training area at 5am tomorrow for a survival mission, don't eat anything, don't be late." With my kekkei genkai activated I knew what he was thinking and I knew he was planning on getting there late. So it didn't really matter as long as I got there.

**_Next day:_**

The next day no matter how hard I tried to get back to sleep I couldn't. It was 3am and my plan for getting to the training grounds late was not going to work out. I got up and got dressed. On my way out I grabbed something to eat and picked up my ninja gear and headed out to the lake near the training grounds, seeing as how I would get no sleep I would go swimming for a while. Once I got to the lake I took off my boots and dived into the lake. The water was freezing but it was refreshing at the same time. After about an hour in the water I started to get cold and sleepy. I quickly got out of the water, and lay down on the grass. It was still a bit dark out and I didn't want so to go home only to go back out again, so I started to think about things, random things really and soon enough I fell asleep.

**_~Dream~_**

There was fire all around me what I thought might be my home was on fire and so was every house around me I didn't know why this was happening. I started to run but no sooner did I bump into someone. The man's face was shrouded in darkness, moments later everything turning into darkness.

**_~End Dream~_**

I woke up trying to catch my breath and scared half to death. That dream is only one of the many horrifying dreams I've had every night since coming to the leaf village none of which had an explanation. I didn't know if it was my home or not, I didn't know who was the man covered in darkness, I couldn't remember a thing of my past up until the day I woke up in Konoha's hospital. But never the less I did remember one thing and it alone was the only reason I didn't like to be touched. I soon realized how bright it was outside and I figured I was already late so I got up quickly and headed to where the team was supposed to meet.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V_**_._

We've been waiting for our sensei for hours now; he was late and so was Tora. Naruto and Sakura where sitting on the floor looking ready to pass out when Kakashi comes walking up.

"Morning every one ready for your first day." He said as Naruto and Sakura jumped up from the ground yelling "HEY! YOU'RE LATE!"

"Hmmm… where's Tora?" he asked, looking around.

"She's not here. She's late just like you!" said Sakura.

"I'm here. I'm here. Don't throw a fit Sakura." Said Tora walking out from behind some trees. She was damp and looked like she just had the worst night of her life.

"You're late" stated Kakashi.

"Like I said before I don't like to be told what to do. And I wouldn't call it being late if you've been here since 3am."

Kakashi ignored her and pulled out a clock placing it on a tree stump.

"You'll have till noon to get these bells away from me," he said holding up two bells.

"If you can't get them by noon you'll go without lunch. And you'll be tied to those posts, while the others eat lunch in front of you."

"Wait a minute theirs 4 of us. How come there are only two bells?" asked Sakura.

"That way at least two of you fail the mission, get tied to the post and ultimately go back to the academy. Now begin"

With that we all sped off into different directions.


	5. Chapter 4

I was hiding in a tree planning my next move on how to get those bells. When I see Naruto attacking Kakashi head on. Next thing I know Kakashi is behind Naruto doing a hand songs for a fire jutsu. But it wasn't, all he did was send Naruto flying into the lake. I couldn't watch anymore so I headed off planning on how to get one of those forsaken bells. Jumping from tree to tree I spot Sasuke's head sticking out of the ground and Sakura passed out next to him. _'I know I'm going to regret this' _I jump out of the trees and land in front of Sasuke.

"Hmmm… Will you look at this my day just got a little better" I say with a smirk looking down towards Sasuke.

"Shut up and help me!" he ordered.

"What was that? The great Sasuke Uchiha needs help… again?" I said with a smirk still on my face, but all I received in return was a glare on his part.

"Tell you what team up with me to help me get the bells and I'll help you get out of there."

"Agreed." Was all he said back.

"Good." I answered back using a water jutsu to slice through the ground. When he was free all he did was stare at me in awe.

"How many elements can you use?" he asked curiously.

"Just the two, water and fire." I said smiling for no apparent reason.

"Okay. Listen Uchiha fight Kakashi again and lure him to the lake once you do leave the rest to me." I said my tone serious.

"Why should I listen to you?" He said with an emotionless expression.

"Number one being because I helped you, and number two because you don't want to get sent back to the academy."

"Fine."

With that we ran off to where Kakashi was. Soon enough Sasuke was fighting with Kakashi again and I was waiting by the lake hidden behind some bushes. Soon after Kakashi and Sasuke come and I prepare myself by activating my kekkei genkai when I see Sasuke do a fireball jutsu. For a second I'm amazed that he could use it, before slapping myself for almost missing my chance. Coming out from behind the bushes I call to Kakashi._ 'I pray to god this works.'_ I thought hopping that I could control my kekkei genkai this time around.

"Hey Kakashi!" he turned and looked me straight in the eye_. 'Big mistake.' _I thought trapping him in the Irai. He stopped dead in his tracks so did Sasuke curios as to why he wasn't attacking me.

"Good. Now hand me the bells." I said as I walked over to him. He untied the bells and handed them to me. I tossed one to Sasuke and sent him off, but in an instance my kekkei genkai deactivated on its own accord.

"Shit." I mutter under my breath as Kakashi is now out of my control. "That's a very dangerous kekkei genkai you have." he said and in the blink of an eye he grabbed the bell from my hand. I quickly stepped back and onto the water in the lake, to avoid attack and start to do hand signs. "Impossible." said Kakashi with a shock written expression.

"Water Element; Water Dra-" I was unable to finish as everything around me started to fade. "If you're going to use an attack like that, you must make sure you aren't venerable to attack by the enemy." I heard Kakashi say as he caught me.

I woke up with my eyes still closed and unable to move my arm, that's when I realized I was tied to a post. When I open my eyes I see Sakura sitting on my left, Sasuke on my right and Naruto tied to the post right from me.

"You're finally awake." Said Kakashi as I had neglected to acknowledge him.

"Kakashi, you bastard! Why the hell I'm I tied to this damned post?" I yelled trying to get free.

"No respect for your sensei, I see." He stated completely ignoring my question.

"Answer the question!" I yell.

"Wow she's scary." Said Naruto obviously freaked by out bust.

"Because even though you were able to get a bell by teaming up with Sasuke, you did not choose to help Sakura who was passed out on the ground."

I was pissed at this point; Sakura didn't do anything yet I'm the one tied to the post.

"At least I did something besides worrying about that damned Uchiha the whole mission like Sakura did."

"All in all, none of you get sent back to the academy, because you are all being dropped from the program permanently."

"WHAT?" yelled Naruto.

"You don't think like ninja, you think like little kids, bunch of brats" with that Sasuke got up and tried to attack Kakashi, but just wound up on the ground with Kakashi on top of him.

"Why do you think we put you on teams? Did you consider that question for one moment? You never realized what this mission was about; that was what determined if you failed. You were supposed to use team work"

"Is that all?" asked Sakura.

"Yes."

"Wait a minute there were only two bells that would mean the team would break up." Said Sakura.

"Exactly, you were supposed to work together despite that fact, Sakura you obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, while Naruto needed help and you didn't even lift a finger to help. Naruto you do everything on your own. Tora you only help or work with someone if it benefits you, though you may have teamed up with Sasuke it never once crossed your mind about teaming up with the others thinking they were weak. And you Sasuke thought the others were worthless you're arrogant. Even if you teamed up with Tora you taught she was beneath you. If you don't work together things could go wrong." Kakashi reached in his pack and pulled out a kunai, putting it up against Sasuke's throat.

"For example: Sakura kill Naruto and Tora or Sasuke dies." Naruto and Sakura start freaking out, but Kakashi quickly puts the kunai away. "That is what can happen on a mission if you don't work as a team. Now I will give you all another chance," he said getting up off Sasuke.

"You'll have 3 hours to get a bell eat up now to build up strength, but Naruto and Tora don't get any and if anybody tries to feed them that person will fail." We all nodded as Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke. Once Sakura and Sasuke began to eat, Naruto's stomach starts to make noises.

"This is no big deal, I can go without eating for days, for weeks-" I interrupt Naruto.

"Naruto stop lying to yourself." I said bluntly.

"I'm not, its true BELIE-" Sasuke interrupts him but putting his food in front of Naruto.

"Here eat. We need to work as a team."

"But Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei said-" said Sakura.

"He's not here. If they are weak we will fail the mission." Sakura looked over at her food before putting it in front of me.

"Hmmm… Here." I stared at her thinking she was only doing it because of Sasuke.

"Thanks Sakura, but no. Give it to Naruto he's the one that is hungry. I already ate." I say as Sakura eyes me down.

"You ate?" she asked with a surprised expression.

"Like I said before I don't like to be told what to do." With that she give the food to Naruto and much to her protest she starts to feed Naruto. But when Naruto took a bite, the wind around us starts pickup and Kakashi comes out of a big cloud of smoke.

"You pass!" he said smiling under his mask. "Huh?" was the only sound that came out of our mouths. "You didn't abandon your friends, your partners. You pass." he says.

I was pissed for some reason and I didn't like him that was for sure, but then again I never really like anyone. Flames engulfed my arms burning the ropes around me as the post I was tied to begin to catch fire. I knew my kekkei genkai was activated and I didn't know why? My head was spinning and the only thing I could think of was getting home. I started to walk away but as soon as I do I pass out. The last thing I remembered was someone putting their arms around me to prevent me from falling to the ground.

**_Kakashi's P.O.V._**

Tora looked pissed by everything that had happened, but she was just how the Hokage had described her, easily angered, strong and distant. She was very skilled that was for sure, to even know how to do a complicated water jutsu like that was amazing. Fire appeared on her arms burning the rope and freeing her. I had thought it was intentional until I noticed she looked confused as her kekkei genkai activated the flames on her arms fading as she began to walk away. She didn't get very far though because as soon as she started walking she passed out, but it amazed me that the young Uchiha had caught her in time before she fell to the ground.

"Tora!" yelled Naruto and Sakura as she ran over to her see if she was okay. I did the same but walked instead of running. She looked pale and drained.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei what's wrong with Tora?" yelled Naruto still tied to the post and trying to get free. I pushed her headband aside and put my hand on her forehead, she was burning up, and she had a fever.

"Hmmm…things are going to get worse for her." I mumbled to myself removing my hand. "Sasuke take her back to her house, where she can be taken care of." I said ignoring the stares everyone. He nodded picking her up bridal style, asking me where she lived.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V_**

"She lives with the Hokage." I said thinking out loud. Strange that no one would know that about her, but then again she does always keep to herself. She wasn't one to talk about her life, and now that I think about it no one really knows anything about her. 'Strange' was what everyone said about her but she wasn't, granted she was distant and angry. She was different from everyone else. Instead of drooling over me, she actually hated me for no apparent reason it was refreshing. She was so light and when she was asleep she looked much more approachable, calm. Looking at her the first thing that comes to mind was that _'she is beautiful.' _I shook my head and mentally slapped myself for even thinking that as I quickened my pace to her home.


	6. Chapter 5

I woke up with a throbbing headache wondering how I got back home. "Why does this keep happening?" I asked myself getting out of bed when I noticed Konohamaru sleeping on the floor next to my bed; he must have looked after me all night, he must have been worried. Noticing the time, 4am, I picked him up and placed him on my bed under the covers. I was about to walk out of the room when he called my name.

"Tora… you feeling… better?" he said rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Yeah, I am. Now go back to sleep it's too early for you to be up." I said walking back towards him and making him lie down again.

"But Tora… I…I don't want …to. I want to… hang out with… you." he said trying not to fall back asleep.

"We'll hang out later, besides if you want to become Hokage one day you have to get your sleep."

"Your right… good night, Tora." With that he closed his eyes and quickly fell back to sleep. She liked the fact that he didn't put up much of an argument when he was sleepy.

"Good night Konohamaru." I said walking out.

I was supposed to meet my team at 7am so I had time to kill and went to the training grounds to train. I had lost track of time, causing me to get late to where the team was supposed to meet.

"YOU'RE LATE TORA!" Naruto yelled in my ear.

I ignored him completely and got ready for the mission. We had to go after some cat named Tora. Now don't get me wrong I love cats and I get along great with them, but I hated that this one had the same name as me. We had finally found the cat and it was attacking Naruto and I couldn't help myself but smile at the sight, then I figured I might as well help Naruto.

"Come here Tora." I ordered. And the cat did just as I said getting off Naruto and jumping into my arms.

"Wow Tora cats must really like you." Said Sakura. I ignored her and gave Tora a treat.

"Good kitty," then I got an idea. "Now attack Mr. Attitude over there." I said pointing to Sasuke. To everyone's surprise the cat jumped out of my arms. But it didn't attack Sasuke like I had hoped and everyone was expecting it just licked him.

"Traitor…" I muttered. This earned me a smirk on Sasuke's part.

After we brought the cat back to its owner Naruto started waning on how he wanted a better mission.

"Since you are so determined I'm going to give you a 'C' ranked mission, you will be bodyguards. Send in our visitor," said the Hokage. The door behind us opened and in entered an old man drinking sake.

"A bunch of Brats will be protecting me, not to mention a short stupid looking one."

"Haha! Who's the short stupid looking one?!" yelled Naruto. We all lined up next to him seeing as he was the short one he got mad.

"HEY!"

"The one in the red dress looks smart, but weak. The boy with the black hair looks strong and the girl with the black hair also looks strong, but looks like she would betray anyone in here." He said taking another gulp of his sake.

_ 'I'll give you betray'_ I was angry and fed up that he would even think I would betray them. I pulled out a kunai and charged at the old man. Just as I was about to attack him… I mean scare him just a bit Kakashi held me back.

"You're not supposed to hurt the client Tora." He stated in a bored tone.

"Like hell I'm not, I'll-" Kakashi cut me short by putting a hand over my mouth. That's when I noticed he was touching me. I struggled to get free but it wasn't getting me anywhere.

"See what I mean. My name is Tazuna by the way."

That's it I couldn't take it anymore I was still being touched by another person and I was really angry. I bit down hard on his hand and then kicked Kakashi in the stomach sending him back towards the wall. Making everyone stare wide eyed at me.

"Wow, Tora how'd you do that?!" asked Naruto in amazement.

"Like I said before… I don't like being touched." I stated calming myself down.

"That's Tora for you. When she's touched she's stronger than any jonin. She'll do well protecting you." The Hokage said indifferent as he watched Kakashi get up.

"Note to self don't touch Tora." I heard Naruto and Sakura whisper.

An hour later I arrived at the gates to leave Konoha, but to my surprise no one was there only Sasuke. I figured they were just running late. After a few minutes of waiting in silence I got bored, and thought I should make this wait a bit more interesting.

"I don't get why every girl in this village is so head over heels in love with you. When you're so… boring." I said to Sasuke.

"What was that?" answered Sasuke getting a bit worked up.

"I said that you Mr. Attitude are boring, weak and a jerk." Guess I hit a nerve because next thing I know he's in front of me holding a kunai to my throat. But he was anything but weak, he was as strong as I was or maybe stronger, but I wasn't going to admit that.

"See what I mean, you have an attitude problem." I said trying to get him angrier. I had to admit it was fun too.

"You have one too…" he grind evilly at me as if he got the best idea in the world.

"What?" I asked getting annoyed that he still had a kunai to my neck.

"You don't like to be touched do you?" He asked.

"Yeah, so what of it?" he loosened his grip on the kunai moving closer to me. Now our faces were just inches apart. "Wha-" I was cut off by him slamming his lips to mine in a quick kiss.

"What the hell!" I yelled pushing him away and pulling out a kunai throwing it at him. He dogged it but while he was distracted I appeared behind him putting a kunai up against his throat from behind. Right then Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto and Tazuna walked up to us.

"TORA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY SASUKE!?" Sakura yelled angry with me.

"Tora put the kunai away." Ordered Kakashi a bit irritated.

"No." I said pushing the kunai closer to his neck but even with that Sasuke looked as calm as ever knowing that I wouldn't do anything with Kakashi around.

"Now." Kakashi ordered getting angry with me for not obeying his order

"Fine. But if you ever come that close to me again you die, got that Uchiha?" I said every word dripping with venom, removing the kunai from his neck and putting it back in my pouch.

"Okay let's head out." Kakashi said deciding on whether or not to ask what had happed.

A while after heading out we were attacked but two mist ninjas that were after Tazuna, though Kakashi still decided to continue on with the mission, even though it was now a 'B' ranked mission.


	7. Chapter 6

While on the boat to the land of waves Tazuna was giving us some sob story on how if we abandoned him his grandson will cry and his daughter would curse the leaf village ninja. But with my kekkei genkai activated I knew he was just trying to trick us in to helping. And Kakashi fell for it. Then Tazuna turned his attention to me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, your eyes the just look like-" I cut him off finishing his sentence.

"Like a demons." I deactivated my kekkei genkai.

"Yes."

"Yeah, Tora you never told us why they do that?" Naruto asked.

"It's my kekkei genkai, the Irai." I answered with no emotion in my voice.

"Irai, trust right? That means trust among your clan." Tazuna asked.

"Mhnn. it is called that because it can be used to see if a person you're supposed to trust is telling the truth or not, or to know the next move of the person you're fighting against. Also with it besides reading minds, I can control others but by doing so on a friend if they had trusted me, making them do what I want would make that trust fall apart." I said hoping they'd drop the subject.

"So that is how you got the bells from Kakashi." Sasuke stated.

"Yes but I only take control of others when it is necessary in a fight. Not for personal gain and never on my friends."

"Ahhh… so you're the last survivor of the Irai clan?" Tazuna asked.

"Last survivor? Tora is that true? " Sakura asked.

"Yes…" I said still with an emotionless tone looking away. If I had looked at them they would have known how sad I really was and I didn't want that. Leave it to them to know how to bring me down.

"How?" Sasuke asked now interested in the conversation.

"My village bordered the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain, in less than a day it was destroyed. No village was able to get there on time to help save us." I said locking my gaze out into the water around us. "A week later I woke up in the hospital in Konoha."

"By who?" Sasuke asked. I might be imagining it but I think he might actually care.

"I don't remember…" I said locking gazes with him hopping he'd leave it there.

Once we got off the boat we started walking Tazuna back to his home. On the way Naruto went nuts and through kunai everywhere and almost killed a rabbit. Then all of a sudden a sword comes frying at us, dogging it by throwing ourselves to the ground. Looking up we saw a man with half his face covered in bandages standing on the sword.

"Zabuza Momochi" said Kakashi.

"Well if it isn't my lucky day." He smirked. "I was order to kill the bridge builder, but who would have thought I would find _Tora Irai_ the one I'm supposed to capture."

"I guess I'll have to use the sharingan to protect them." Said Kakashi.

"What are you talking about?" I asked Zabuza, wondering why anyone would want to capture me.

"It seems you have a pretty little price on your head little girl, capture Tora Irai _alive_ those are my orders… but enough talk." With that said mist started to form around us, and Zabuza landed on the water building up a massive amount of chakra, and then disappearing.

"He will come after me first. So stay close to Tazuna." Kakashi ordered.

"But who is he? Why is he after Tora?" Sakura asked. Which were all really good questions.

"Zabuza Momochi, he is master of the silent death technique, he kills without sound or warning of any kind. The sharingan can't fully neutralize it so don't lower your guard…" said Kakashi. As the mist got thicker I activated the Irai to make sure everyone was okay. Naruto and Sakura were panicked, when I couldn't read Sasuke thoughts I looked over to him. He was way beyond panicked. He was holding a kunai ready to hurt himself I stepped next to him putting my hand on his wrist.

"Calm down Sasuke," with that he regained his composure "Hmmm… and here I thought you weren't afraid of anything."

"I'm not." he smirked.

After that Kakashi and Zabuza fighting but soon Kakashi got trapped in a water bubble and Zabuza came after us.

"You're all just brats; to call upstarts like you ninja is a joke." He turned his attention to me. I started to get random thoughts in my head coming from Zabuza and everyone else around me. And I was getting them too fast I couldn't take it my head was throbbing and I couldn't deactivate the Irai. I fell on my knees clutching my head.

"See you are so weak you can't even control your kekkei genkai, how pathetic." Naruto and Sasuke charged at him while Sakura kneeled down next to me. "Tora, what's wrong? Are you okay?" No, I was anything but okay but I lied to her "I'm fine protect Tazuna!" my unintentional yelling made her flinch, but she did as she was told.

I felt hot, really hot. My body felt like it was on fire and next thing I know it is. But it didn't burn me; it was like when I normally use it but never to this extent. "Tora!" I barely registered Sakura's worried voice "I'm fine stay with Tazuna." Ignoring everyone's thoughts in my head I got up. I wish I knew why I couldn't control my kekkei genkai? I wish I knew why I couldn't control anything anymore? But I would take this as an advantage. Naruto and Sasuke stopped dead in their tracks when they saw me and so did Zabuza. I lifted my hand and fire went towards Zabuza but dogged it just enough to so that he didn't take the full blast. "Maybe I was wrong about you; maybe you aren't some pathetic upstart." He said disappearing into the mist "This will be fun…"

**_Sasuke's P.O.V_**

Where was she getting all that power? Five minutes ago she was she was kneeled down on the ground in pain, now her whole body was on fire and she was taking on Zabuza and winning. She was strong. She blasted fire at Zabuza then in the blink of an eye she was behind him blasting him with fire. She was incredibly fast like she knew his next move before it even happed. Zabuza was taking quite a beating from Tora, but as she was about to attack a ninja came out from a tree and attacked Zabuza, killing him. "He killed him." Sakura said as she Tazuna and Naruto looked at her impressed by what he had done.

Kakashi was set free, and Tora turned to attack the masked ninja "He is not dead!" "Tora don't." Kakashi ordered but it was too late, she blasted fire towards the masked ninja and Zabuza. The ninja blocked Tora's attack using the water from the lake creating a cloud of steam. Kakashi came up behind her and knocked her out as the fire on her body slowly disappeared. Kakashi caught her before she fell to the ground.

"Sasuke, take her." He said as he handed her to me, and then went to check Zabuza's pulse.

"He's dead." Kakashi said looking over at the masked ninja.

"Of course he is." he said as if offended after that the ninja explained that he was hunting Zabuza for betraying his village. Then carried of Zabuza to dispose of him.


	8. Chapter 7

"HEY SHIKAMARU WHEN DO YOU THINK SHE'LL WAKE UP IT'S ALREADY BEEN A WEEK." I heard Naruto yell to Shikamaru. Wait… Shikamaru? I opened my eyes only to be blinded by the sunlight coming from the window. I groaned closing my eyes and turning on my side, and putting the pillow over my head, at this point I didn't really care where I was.

"HEY LOOK SHE'S WAKING UP!" yelled Naruto.

"I can see that, I'm not blind." I could tell Shikamaru was annoyed.

"Why do you guys have to be so loud?" I asked. I pulled the pillow off my head and let my eyes adjust to the light, and I saw Naruto's face extremely close to mine. "Naruto unless you want to die before your time I suggest you get away from me." I said in a menacing tone.

"S-sorry" he said baking up.

"What happened? How did I get back to Konoha? Did anyone find out who was after me?" I said my voice hoarse as I sat up.

"After that ninja appeared Kakashi knocked you out because he thought you had lost when you started to attack the ANBU ninja but after two days you hadn't woken up. After the bridge was done they brought you back here." Shikamaru said looking as if he was hiding something. "Also no one has been able to find out who's been after you." Shikamaru added.

"You've been out for a week! Nobody knew what was wrong with you and we thought it was because of Kakashi knocking you out, you even stopped breathing a couple of times, back in the Land of Waves, I even started to think you might never wake up!" yelled Naruto.

"But it is because you used up too much chakra that you were out so long." Shikamaru added.

"Wait; hold up if I stopped breathing how did I start to breathe again?" I asked getting a bit pissed at the thoughts that were going throw my head of someone actually even touching me.

"Yeah… about that Sasuke had to give you CPR and it was real funny because Sakura got all-" I cut Naruto short by grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him closer to me.

"What was that about Sasuke?" I said in an angry and menacing tone.

"H-he g-gave you CPR…" he shuttered afraid of me.

"I'll kill him!" I said letting go of Naruto, getting up I grabbed my cloths and headed to the bathroom to change. Once I got out I saw Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke standing in the room, looking at me. I lunged at Sasuke ready to hurt him for touching me for the second time, but Shikamaru held me back by my collar.

"See why I didn't tell her." He stated in a bored tone.

"Let me go Shikamaru!" I yelled.

"No."

"It's the second time he touches me like that. Not to mention that he took my first kiss when the mission started! I'm going to murder him!" I said getting free of his grip, but he just knocked me down backwards and sat on my back.

"SASUKE DID WHAT!?" yelled Sakura.

"Stay out of it Sakura! Shikamaru you lazy ass when did you get this much energy? Get off me!" I yelled flipping him over and sitting on his back.

"What a drag…" Shikamaru muttered.

"Mind telling us what happened?" Kakashi said trying to ignore the fact that I was sitting on Shikamaru back pushing his face onto the cold wooden floor.

"Happened with?" I asked I didn't really want to answer his question because truth is I didn't really know myself.

"The reason as to why you passed out for a week."

"Fine. I couldn't just hear one person's thoughts when I activated Irai I heard every one, and my body started to burn, everything after that is a blank." I said still sitting on Shikamaru.

"Has that ever happened before?" he asked eyeing me down.

"Like that? No. But lately I've been having trouble controlling my kekkei genkai." I said thinking back to the day at the training grounds.

"Alright, I will inform the Hokage that you are alright, but don't forget to visit him he's been worried about you." With that said Kakashi walked out the door.

"Tora would you mind getting off me now?" asked Shikamaru in an irritated and bored tone.

"Huh? What? Sorry. I forgot you were there." I said with a grin, getting off him and grabbing his hand to help him up.

"Hey Tora I thought you didn't like to be touched?" Sakura asked looking at me with curiosity.

"I don't."

"Then why is Shikamaru touching you and your not hurting him?" She said pointing to our hands.

"TORA DO YOU LIKE SHIKAMARU!? YOU LIKE SHIKAMARU! YOU LIKE-" Naruto was interrupted by Sakura hitting him over the head. "You're so annoying Naruto!"

"You are such a loser." Sasuke added in a distasteful tone.

"EWWW… no I don't like Shika, he's too boring." I said trying to get a reaction out of him. I always found it fun to bother him.

"That hurt Tor that really hurt." He said changing his voice so that he would sound offended.

"Why then?" Sasuke asked trying to hide his interest.

"Shikamaru is just one of the few people that their touch just never bothered me."

"Don't take her seriously. The first time I touched her she flipped me and punched me in the face." Shikamaru said heading towards the door.

"Violent." Naruto said cringing.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I have to go on a mission with my team. I'll see you later." He said walking out.

"Hey I know why don't we get something to eat, Tora? You must be starving." I nodded. Sakura had the right idea I am starving. But don't you think for a second I forgot about that damned Uchiha I will get back at him.

We all went to a sushi restaurant, we ordered our food, and while we waited Sakura went all mindless and started to flirt with Sasuke even though Sasuke was ignoring her and Naruto getting angry over it. I on the other hand was planning how to get back at Sasuke. The moron kissed me, and even though he saved my life he still touched me and that was something I could not forgive.

_'__I could burn his house… drown him... I could… no that wouldn't do.'_ Then I got it the perfect idea Sasuke was going to regret ever touching me.


	9. Chapter 8

"Hey Tora, I've been wondering, how come you don't like to be touched?" asked Naruto as the food was brought to us.

"A good reason would be because it makes my skin crawl but as for the real reason… that's none of your business." I said stuffing a piece of sushi in my mouth.

"Then why do you let Shikamaru touch you?" boy was Naruto chuck full of questions today. "You're still on that topic?" He and Sakura nodded all Sasuke did was acted uninterested.

"Well… he's one of the very few people I let touch me…" I started Sasuke suddenly taking interest in what I was saying. "I guess the only reason why I punched him was because when he touched me it didn't bother me."

"How many people has that happened with?" asked Sakura looking at Sasuke then eyeing me curiously. She was probably still thinking about what I had said about Sasuke kissing me.

"Just two, Shikamaru and Konohamaru." I said eating another piece of sushi.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V_**

I found myself very interested in this conversation, in Tora. The fact that she hated me for no good reason made me interested in her even more. She was a complete mystery, I wanted to know more about her and more about why she hated me. Once Sakura had changed the topic of the conversation I tuned it out and continued to eat. Their conversation stopped when Tora smirked at me out of the blue. Then turned her attention back to Sakura. What was she planning?

"Hey Sakura have you ever wondered what Sasuke looked like shirtless?" I almost choked on my food. What was wrong with her?! Sakura blushed at her question and answered blushing into her lie "no". I didn't like where this was going… I got up from my seat ready to leave but just as I did Tora spoke, "Well then Sakura I'm about to make your day." And snapped her fingers.

**_Tora's P.O.V_**

Sweet payback, how I love it! "Well then Sakura I'm about to make your day." I said snapping my fingers and in second Sasuke's shirt began to burn off. The look on his face was priceless, as it burned off and with Naruto making those smart-ass jokes it made it all the better. Sakura just stared at Sasuke wide-eyed, looking over his body. This goes without saying but I have to say he has a nice body.

Sasuke lunged at me and I dogged him by going under the table. Maybe I should have waited till later, I was still hungry and all that food was now wasted on the floor. Oh well... Coming out from under the table Sasuke kicked me from behind, making me land face first on the floor. Getting up I kicked him in the chest in return. Sasuke went flying towards Naruto, crashing into the wooden wall.

"Hope you enjoyed your present Sakura!" I laughed as I left the restaurant. Now that I think of it I'm going to get in so much trouble with the Hokage for messing up that restaurant, but didn't really care, I got my payback. As I rounded the corner into the ally I was kicked in the back and sent flying into the wall. _'God that hurts!'_ I thought as I fell to the ground. Sasuke was fast, but he would have to better. I got up quickly but as soon as I did Sasuke had me up against the wall with his hands around my neck.

"That wasn't a wise thing to do." His grip getting tighter.

"If you don't let me go Uchiha I'll-" Sasuke interrupted me.

"Compared to me your weak, there's no way-" Damn it! That's it! Uchiha you have pissed me off for the last time! I punched him in the face he landed on the floor, but before he could get up I pushed him back down with my foot.

"You think you're so special Uchiha, you think you're better, stronger than everyone else," I leaned closer to him, starting a fire in my hand, our faces inches apart.

"News flash Uchiha, you're not. I could burn you right now and there's nothing you could do about it." His expression unchanging from that of anger he was about to speak when Kakashi comes out of nowhere and pulls me off of Sasuke with a stern look on his face.

"Both of you are in big trouble."

After giving Sasuke a shirt, Kakashi had dragged us all the way to the Hokage. We were now getting a lecture from him.

"What will I do with you two, you're on the same team yet you can't stand each other. Not to mention that now the owner of the restaurant is furious with you two for damaging he's place." the Hokage spoke with an air of disappointment.

"Well you know you cloud always change me to a dif-" the Hokage interrupted me knowing what I was going to say. "No, that would not solve anything. I will give you both a choice, agree that you two will spend more time together to get to know each other or accept the punishment." I would rather burn in hell than spend time with the Uchiha, and I guess he would too since we both gave no answer.

The Hokage sighed, "Then you leave me no choice." The Hokage performed a quick jutsu grabbing both Sasuke's and mine hand holding them together much to my protest. "Now I want you both to take 5 steps away from each other." We did as we were told.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V_**

We as we were told and as soon as we took five steps away from each other I felt pain all over my body, so did Tora. I fell to my knees holding myself. "Since you will not be around each other willingly I will have to force you. If you take five steps way from each other you will feel intense pain." He said pulling us back together so that the pain would stop. "If you think by killing each other you will be free you are wrong for the same outcome awaits you." He looked towards Tora. "If you hurt each other you will feel double the pain you inflicted." The Hokage said never taking his eyes off Tora.

"You will be like this until you can learn to get along better." He said sitting back down on his desk.

"Are you serious? You don't really intend on leaving us like his?" yelled Tora.

"Leave." The Hokage ordered.

Much to her dislike Tora had gathered her things to go to my place. She dropped her bag by the door as she entered. "I don't get why we didn't just stay at my place." she said standing in the front door, refusing to move. "My place is better, now can you come all the way in?" She mumbled the word moron under her breath and started to walk. "Your place is better? If you say so Uchiha, just don't let the Hokage catch you saying that." She said as we entered the living room. This wasn't all bad, I could think of a couple of bright sides to this. This would definitely be a good way to find out more about what she was hiding. It would bring me steps closer to Tora, to the reasons behind her hate for me.


	10. Chapter 9

Crap! Now I have to spend god knows how long living with the Uchiha. That arrogant good for nothing… Sasuke interrupted my thoughts. "I'm going to the kitchen." Like I care he can take a million steps away from me and it still wouldn't be enough but in this case all he needed was to take five steps away from me. Sasuke began to walk thinking I would follow him; I was hoping he would take that fifth step but on the fourth he turned around.

"If you don't move I can't get anywhere." He said in an annoyed tone.

"I don't see a problem with that." I wasn't going to follow him around like a lost puppy. I could stay standing here all day if I wanted and there would be nothing he could do about it.

"Are you going to move, or just stand there like a dummy?"

_'__Don't push me Uchiha.'_ I thought before I answered.

"No." Every fiber of my being was telling me to hurt him but if I wanted to be free of this, I couldn't.

"No?" he asked with a smirk. I didn't like where this was going.

"Are you deaf Uchiha? I said no. I would rather stand here and die than follow you around like some lost-" I couldn't finish my sentence. Sasuke had picked me up and put me over his shoulder carrying me over to the kitchen. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get free. I was going to murder him! Once we entered the kitchen he dropped me on the floor and turned around to get to the fridge. I took the chance while his back was turned to knock him down on the floor and grab him by the neck, straddling him so that he couldn't run.

"Remember what I told you? If you ever touched me again I would kill you." I said my grip tightening around his neck but I found myself loosening my grip as I felt pain around my neck. The Hokage wasn't kidding when he said we'd feel the same pain double if we tried to hurt each other.

"No, I remember you telling me if I ever got this close to you," Sasuke grabbed my arms turning me over, so that now he was on top of me holding my wrist above my head. "You would kill me." My eyes went wide as he kissed me but what surprised me most was that every fiber in my body was telling me to kiss him back. His lips were warm and his kiss was gentle, my mind screamed out to kiss him, but I didn't. Off guard I was able to get one of my hands free punching him in the stomach, making him fall back. "Ever do that again and I swear…" I stopped breathless holding my stomach as I felt double his pain. "I don't care if this jutsu is still in effect I will kill you."

**_Next day:_**

Yesterday was the worst night of my life; I had no intention of sleeping on the same bed as the Uchiha so I slept on the floor, not one of my brightest ideas. Not to mention that my kekkei genkai, for who knows what reason, has no effect on Sasuke. This just topped off my _good_ night.

We had just arrived at the training grounds to see all the teams were there, Shino's team, Shikamaru's team and of course my team. Sakura and Ino looked pissed, and we all know why. "Morning Tora, Sasuke." Asuma said walking up to us. "It's been a while, huh?" he said smiling at me.

"It's nice to see you too Asuma" I said smiling back at him. I hadn't seen him in months thanks to a mission he's been on so it really was good seeing him again. "I would hug you but I know you don't like to be touched."

"You know me so well." I said looking around us.

"Looks like your sensei is late and this was his idea." He said rubbing the back of his neck. Whatever this idea was it couldn't be good if it was Kakashi who had come up with it. All of a sudden Naruto comes running towards me pushing Asuma out of the way. "Is it true? IS IT TRUE? Is it true that you guys can't take five steps away from each other without feeling pain? And that last night you had to stay at his place?" Naruto had a huge grin on his face as he waited for an answer.

"Unfortunately." Sasuke said indifferent speaking for the first time today.

"It speaks…" I said I said in fake surprise, as Naruto broke out into a laughing fit, Sakura and Ino getting angrier by the second. After an hour Kakashi finally showed up. He told everyone what happened between Sasuke and me, and our five-foot death sentence. He had come up with a new "training exercise" especially for Sasuke and me that was supposed to help us get along better. Every team was supposed to chase Sasuke and me, trying to separate us by any means. If we are separated the jutsu stays activated for another month, if we work together and don't get separated once then I rid myself of him in two days. Two days was way better than a month!

Before the training exercise began Kakashi introduced us to Kurenai leader of team eight seeing as how they were also going to take part in this exercise.

"Now then you have till sunset to stick together everyone ready?" he said as everyone took their stance. "Go!"

We took off immediately disappearing into the forest.

"Now what? There's four hours till sunset, how are we going to avoid them?" I asked Sasuke as we jumped from tree to tree in the forest. "Well?" I said after a few minutes of not getting an answer.

"We watch each other's backs; make sure no one gets near us." He said in a serious tone.

"That I can do." I said with a smirk.

All of team ten surrounded us moments after we figured out what to do. We faced them back to back one step apart; we had to plan our next move carefully.

"You two make this easy!" Ino said charging at me with a kunai.

"Human Boulder No. Jutsu!" yelled Choji heading for Sasuke. In that one second I let myself be distracted Ino was able to cut me in the face under my left eye. "Shit!" I said baking up, as I pulled out a kunai to counter Ino. "Hmph… that'll show you for trying to steal _my_ Sasuke!" That's when I noticed Sasuke wasn't following he was caught in Shikamaru's shadow possession jutsu. Just as Choji had rammed into Sasuke I punched Ino in the stomach knocking her down. Sasuke was headed into a tree and by concentrating chakra to my feet I moved faster. I was only three steps away from him when he crashed into the tree.

"I thought you were better than that Uchiha?" I said as I stood next to him.

"Shut up!" he snapped as I helped him up from the ground and returned to our fighting stance.

"You've gotten faster Tora." Shikamaru said as he lined up in front of us with that others.

"And you're still using that same old jutsu."

"What a drag…" Shikamaru said putting his hand up to his forehead.

"Hey, Sasuke. What do you think our odds are of beating all nine of them?" I asked as Kiba, Naruto and Sakura joined team ten and sensed tree more surrounded us under the cover of the trees.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V._**

"Hey, Sasuke. What do you think our odds are of beating all nine of them?" Tora asked as Kiba, Naruto and Sakura joined team ten while sensing tree more surrounding us under the cover of the trees. I thought for a moment… there were a total of nine people surrounding us and with Naruto there unless there was a way to stop his shadow clones all at once things weren't looking good.

"Not good." Tora nodded in agreement.

"I'm really sorry about this, guys." She said as she activated her kekkei genkai, the Irai, and took control of Naruto and Kiba making them turn on their team mates. Kiba headed off into the forest most likely to battle his own team and Naruto turned on the ones in front of us.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto yelled creating ten clones of himself and attacking Shikamaru and the others.

"Now we run." Tora said pulling my arm so that I would follow her as we began to run deeper into the forest way from everyone.

"I don't know how long I can keep controlling them from a distance either way I doubt I could keep it up for long." She said moving faster.

"Why?" I asked wanting to know more about her kekkei genkai, about her.

"Aside from the fact that I've been having trouble controlling my kekkei genkai it uses up too much chakra." She said looking over to me for a second. I didn't know why but I was drawn to Tora, I was attracted to her even though I knew I shouldn't be; it should be the furthest thing from my mind right now because I had other things to worry about. Then again she is strong, beautiful and willful. A part of me knew that though she threatened my life quite a few times she wouldn't carry it out. She hated me and I had a feeling that if I ever told her what I really think of her she might carry out that death threat. As we kept going through the forest I noticed a trap set up with explosive tags.

"Move!" I yelled but it was too late Tora had already set off the trap. I grabbed her and pulled her out of the way.


	11. Chapter 10

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

"Move!" Sasuke yelled but it was too late. I'd been too concentrated on controlling Naruto and Kiba that I hadn't noticed the trap till I set it off. Sasuke grabbed me and pulled me out of the way of the blast, switching positions with me so he was on the bottom when we hit the ground below us.

"Damn, what is Kakashi trying to do kill us?" I said as I heard Kakashi's thoughts along with Asuma's worried ones; thinking that Kakashi might have over done it a bit. I deactivated the Irai and the moment I did I realized the position we were in. I was lying on top of Sasuke with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped around my waist. I felt myself blushed slightly. _'Why the hell I'm I blushing?'_ I mentally slapped myself pulling myself away from him. _'What the hell is wrong with you Tora?'_ I yelled at myself.

"We better get moving." Sasuke said sitting up strait and rubbing the back of his head. The moment he stud up he staggered back and without even thinking I grabbed his arm to prevent him from falling. Realizing what I did I let go of him immediately thinking back. It wasn't the first time I touched him today and then it clicked. His touch didn't bother me, it was because he didn't listen that I got angry when he did touch me. Sasuke looked surprised and was about to say something but I interrupted him before he could. "Let's get moving." I said and began running in the opposite direction away from Kakashi and the others with Sasuke one step behind.

**_Kakashi's P.O.V_**

"Hey Kakashi, don't you think you might have over one it a bit?" Asuma asked worried about Tora.

"There fine, I just wanted to get her to deactivate the Irai." I said indifferent as we ran after them through the forest.

"Mind telling me why?"

"She used the Irai on me once. I found it unnerving to have no control over your own body. Besides I can't have her find out that the jutsu will wear off in two days."

"If I didn't know better I'd think you were afraid…" Asuma taunted. "But I do know better. Growing up and learning how to use the Irai, Tora has used it on me quite a few times." He said in a half laugh.

"From here on out things are only just going to get worse for her." He nodded as we halted to a stop when we caught site of an explosive tag trap much like the one I had set up; Sasuke and Tora weren't very far ahead of us and I intended to catch up. "Let's keep going there close." I said. Thanks to the experiments done on Tora in one of Orochimaru's labs, Tora was exceptionally strong, she's learnt to use her kekkei genkai at seven years of age and has mastered many water and fire jutsus that not many of her age could do. Because of what was done to her there, things are beginning to happen to her that shouldn't, at least not until she reaches the age of twenty-seven, but without us knowing what exactly was done to her there is no way to help her.

The moment we passed their first trap we triggered another. A kunai came flying towards us with explosive tags on them we were able to dodge them. But doing so only triggered another set of traps to go off; this time only kunai coming at us. Counter attacking with kunai we were able to dodge them.

"They work well together." Asuma said as we began to run after them again.

"Imagine if they actually got along…" he smiled.

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

I screamed out in pain along with Sasuke the moment we were separated from each other. Five minutes that's all we had left we spent the half the day running from them and we would have succeeded in staying together if they all hadn't ganged up on us we would have stood a chance but twelve against two are hard odds to beat. After about thirty seconds lying on the ground scramming Kakashi and Asuma pulled us up off the ground and closer together. We were both panting and in a cold sweat I threw myself back on the ground trying to catch my breath.

"Shikamaru, Choji, Ino you guys better run and hide because the second I'm feeling better I'm coming after you." I said in a threatening tone to them. It took all three of them along with the others to separate me from Sasuke and it was because of them I might have to spend a month hanging around Sasuke.

"Sorry Tora." Shikamaru said smiling and rubbing the back of his neck and coming up to me to check the cut on my face. "Ow!" I said when he touched it. "Don't be a baby." He said placing some weird smelling brown gel on my face. "Thanks." I said hitting him playfully in the stomach for calling me a baby.

"Well since the training exercise is over I think I should set things straight." Kakashi said in a bored tone looking at me and Sasuke.

"Set things straight?" I asked tucking my bangs behind my ears.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked looking from me lying on the ground to Kakashi and the others.

"As you already know this exercise was to get you guys to work together and not try to kill each other, but I lied to you when I said you two would be stuck together for another month if you didn't-" I interrupted him.

"See this is why I dislike you more and more each day." I stated sitting up strait.

"Anyway the jutsu's effect will wear off in two days." Kakashi said smiling under his mask.

"ALRIGHT!" Ino and Sakura yelled. It wasn't till the very end that they realized what separating us meant.

"Seriously?" I made a disgusted sound and expression at the fact that Sasuke and I had asked that at the same time.

Kakashi nodded. "You guys must be hungry, why don't we all get something to eat?"

Every team separated when we went to get something to eat considering that my team was the only one that wanted ramen. The moment we arrived at Ichiruka's it began to rain. We sat from order left to right Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto, me and Sasuke.

"I was so much fun today don't you think?" Naruto said as we ordered or food.

"You're insane if you called that fun. We spent half the day running from you guys." I said in a bored tone waiting for my food.

"Yeah well you tried to kill us with all those traps you set!" Naruto said acting as if I had insulted him.

"Not to mention when you made Naruto and Kiba attack us. What was up with that? I thought you said you don't use the Irai on your friends." Sakura said in an annoying tone.

"I also said I only take control of others when it is necessary in a fight"


	12. Chapter 11

**_Tora's P.O.V_**

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" It was 10pm and Mr. Attitude here wanted to go training. "If you don't I'll just carry you." He stated in a plain tone. "You can die waiting for all I care!" I was way beyond mad. After we comeback from eating ramen he'd been doing everything possible to push my buttons, to annoy me and it was working.

He was just about to grab me when I kicked him in the stomach he doubled over in pain as did I. I hit him harder than I intended and I was feeling that mistake double.

"What is with you?" he yelled.

"What is with me? What's with you?" I yelled back. I had just about enough of his attitude. "Ever since we got back you've been more annoying than Naruto! I can't take it anymore! It's unbelievable how every girl your age in this village likes you!" Sasuke just sat there on the ground watching me his expression unmoving still holding the spot where I kicked him. "You must have hit yourself real hard when we got caught in Kakashi's trap," I was going to let it all out. "God only knows why you're so arrogant. Not to mention the fact that I still can't figure out the why your touch doesn't-" I stopped myself and sighed in frustration. I couldn't believe I was going to let that slip. I let go of my stomach and stud up.

"My touch doesn't what?" Of all the questions he could have asked, why that one.

"Nothing, forget it." I said trying to walk away but realizing I couldn't get very far. I wanted to take a shower that I hadn't been able to take since this jutsu had been placed on us and forget about everything. I was entirely opposed to the idea of being naked in the shower with Mr. High and Mighty waiting on the other side of the curtain but I really needed one; we both did. We were so dirty from everything that went on today I doubt tomorrow we'd be in our best conditions.

"I'm going to take a shower!" I said hoping he'd follow.

"No." he said moving closer to me. "Not till you tell me." I really wanted that shower and I was in no mood to argue with him anymore. "It doesn't bother me…" I don't know whether he was surprised to hear that or not but his expression did not change. "Why?" for the love of god would he stop asking questions! "I don't know, it just doesn't." I began walking knowing he would follow me. I grabbed my cloths and headed for the bathroom he grabbed my wrist pulling me to a stop. He was about to say something but before he could I pushed him away.

"Don't touch me!" I don't know why I got angry so fast these past couple of days but today I was happy with it, it kept him from asking anymore questions.

Without any warning Sasuke shoved me out of the way so he could take a shower before me. It didn't take him long to finish his shower and once he did I stepped into the shower fully clothed. There was no way I was going to strip in front of him. I folded my clothes and placed them on the shelf where the towels were held. I let my hair loose and turned on the hot water.

The hot water felt so good and made me feel calm that was until my kekkei genkai activated of its own accord. I felt uneasy for some reason; I could hear all the thoughts of the people outside of Sasuke's house except his and for some reason that made me happy. He was the first person I'd ever encountered that my kekkei genkai had no power over. At first I had thought it was impossible that it was another thing to add to the list of things going wrong with me. But this was the second time and I doubt it was the effect of me not being able to control my kekkei genkai lately.

"Why doesn't my kekkei genkai work on you?" I asked myself.

"What?" I mentally slapped my forehead when I realized Sasuke had heard what I thought was something I had mentally asked myself.

_'Go with it.'_ I thought.

"My kekkei genkai doesn't work on you, why?" It was his turn not to choose not to answer a question. Now I know how that felt, and I didn't like it. For a second I thought I should be nicer to him, but the question he asked made me reconsider.

"Why don't you like being touched?" That was the only question about my past I could answer and it's the one I hoped no one would ask. For some strange reason I felt like answering him.

"I can't remember anything from my past up until I woke up here in Konoha, except for one thing and it's that one thing that makes me hate being touched…" I put my head under the cascading water in my futile attempt to stop the images from surfacing more than they already were.

"Tora?" Till Sasuke called my name I didn't realize that I was holding my breath.

"A dark lab..." I took a deep breath. "A dark lab with a long bright light over me, I couldn't see anything just shadows. I remember a man he never spoke but he did experiments on me. I was so cold, day after day, needle after needle I remember crying for my parents; but they never came." I shivered as I remembered the man covering my mouth with something to muffle my cries. "That was the first time I ever activated my kekkei genkai, the first time I ever heard anyone's thoughts and they were dreadful." What seemed like minutes of awkward silence were only seconds._ 'Why did I even tell him that?'_ I asked myself. My mood swings were even putting me in a spin. Angry, happy, scared, awkward any more of this and I would have to be put in a mental institution.

"Why do you want revenge so much?" I'd just begun to wash my hair but the silence was still there and I wanted to break it.

"My brother massacred my whole clan, our parents, our family & friends…" It was all he said and all he need to say. He was like me only difference was he remembered everything, every single detail of what happened. I understood, if I remembered anything about my past my mother, my father, a brother if I had one and my friends if I remembered all of them being killed and the face of the person who did it I would be the same. I would be looking for revenge too.

"Sasuke…" I hesitated as I turned off the water. I didn't do this often, scratch that, I never did this so it was hard to do. "I-I'm s-sorry for saying you were annoying a-and for going off on you before." I stuttered. Apologizing and stuttering those were two things I'd never done before. Now I knew something was wrong.


	13. Chapter 12

**_Tora's P.O.V_**

The whole night I could feel something was wrong. I slept on the floor again -my stubbornness getting the better of me again- but I fell asleep faster than I ever had in my life. I felt hot and before the dream the last thing I remember was feeling someone lift me off the floor.

It was dark I couldn't see or hear anything, but as I started to walk I heard it. A woman's voice called out to me "Tora. Tora honey, you have to wake up or you're going to be late… again." The woman's voice was gentle and held back a laugh. I heard a window break and I began to run. "Tora, why are you crying?" now the voice of a concerned man echoed in the darkness. I tripped as the echo faded and a new one began "Tora get up quick! You'll get left behind if you don't." The voice of a young boy echoed. That was the last voice I heard for a very long time and no matter how hard I tried after I got up I couldn't stop running.

I heard faint laughing and as the laughing grew louder I was finally able to stop running. The sound of the laughter was menacing and twisted; it gave me chills. As the laughter grew louder I yelled for it to stop. I continued to yell till I lost my voice, then I began to fall into the darkness. Although I could not speak I continued to yell, calling out for help hoping that someone would hear my voiceless screams and come to my rescue. But no one came, instead I was engulfed in wild flames ones that I had no control over.

**_Sasuke P.O.V_**

The moment Tora fell asleep on the floor she began to scream. Worried I shook her trying to wake her, when it didn't work and she continued to scream. She finally stopped when I lifted her onto the bed but she began to toss and turn. "Tora wake up." I shook her again and like before it didn't work. She began mumbling and from what I could make out she was calling for her mother and father but changed soon after to cries for help.

I wanted to help her but there wasn't much I could do every time I touched her she screamed and I couldn't take more than five steps away from her to look for help. She was already in pain I didn't want to make it worse. I grabbed a small cloth from the night stand and began to whip away her sweat it was the only thing I could do to calm her.

**_Hokage's P.O.V_**

Last night I received word that Tora was taken to the hospital, and though I have been extremely worried about her it wasn't till this morning that I had the chance to go see her. I had just entered the hospital room that Tora and Sasuke were in.

"How is she?" I asked the nurse tending to her when I entered.

"About an hour ago the doctor gave her a sedative but even with that she continues to wake up in a dreamlike state screaming. Since she arrived she has not woken once." The nurse gave me a weak smile and left.

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

"Thank you for taking care of her Sasuke. I know you two are not on the best of terms."

"I really hate seeing her this way…"

I heard the Hokage speaking with Sasuke then I heard the beeping of the heart monitor, that's when I realized I was in the hospital. My eyes shot open. "Why am I here?" My throat was dry making my voice sound hoarse. "You're awake?" the Hokage sounded surprised. He and Sasuke explained everything that happened to me after I fell asleep. "This isn't supposed to be happening now…" I was dying. "Tora we can speak about this later." The Hokage clearly did not want to speak about this in front of Sasuke and neither did I, but I knew that if I did not get him to speak about it now he would try to put it off as long as possible.

The fainting, the fever, being unable to control my chakra and my kekkei genkai, the mood swings everything that has been happening to me now made sense.

"No you tell me now." I looked at the Hokage with a serious expression. "Tell me why this is happening to me now, when it's not supposed to happen till I'm 27!" I yelled getting angry. "Tora…" the Hokage touched my hand and I pulled it away from him looking up at him. He let out a deep sigh.

"Do you really want to know now?"

"No, I'm demanding an answer because-" I stopped myself snapping at him would get me nowhere, besides I knew he was only asking to make sure if it was ok for Sasuke to hear. "I don't like the fact that he's going to hear it." I looked over to Sasuke. "But I'm not willing to wait till tomorrow."

The Hokage explained everything that was done to me in the lab when I was younger. About the rouge ninja named Orochimaru who destroyed my clan and made me and other Irai into a lab rats to figure out how our kekkei genkai worked.

Orochimaru was the shadow in my dreams, the man I feared more than anything else in the world. He was the reason why I did not like to be touched.

Without meaning to I got angry at the Hokage and ran out of the hospital with Sasuke following me.

"Tora-" I put my hand over Sasuke's mouth to keep him from speaking. "I don't want to hear it." I removed my hand. "I don't need your or anyone else's pity." My eyes felt heavy as I yawned contradicting my angry tone. "Ignore everything you heard in the hospital and don't you dare mention-" Sasuke interrupted me now. "I couldn't care less, even if I tried." I looked at him confused as I yawned once more. "I was only going to ask how you are able to stay awake-" that was the last thing I heard before my eyes became too heavy and I fell asleep.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V._**

"I was only going to ask how you are able to stay awake-" Tora's eyes closed and she began falling "Shit!" I said reaching out and grabbing her before she had the chance to fall on the floor. I had a feeling she wouldn't last long the sedative they gave her at the hospital was still in effect. How she was able to wake up and argue with the Hokage was a mystery to me. "How do I always end up carrying you?" I asked as I picked her up bridal style. '_But I have to admit you do look pretty even when you sleep.' _I thought as I carried her back to my place. _'If only you didn't have that scornful look on your face all the time.'_


	14. Chapter 13

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

I turned over on the bed trying to pull myself deeper into the covers. _'Something smells good…'_ I thought. I opened my eyes and shot up quickly when I realized I was in Sasuke's bed. I looked at the clothes I was wearing, they were the close from yesterday, and I remembered what happened the day before. "Why did I fall asleep like that?" I asked looking around. When I didn't see Sasuke around I almost jumped up in joy as I realized the jutsu was no longer in effect. I walked into the kitchen to find Sasuke placing two plates of food on the table he looked at me and went back into the kitchen. "One of those is for you." He said pouring a glass of juice. I went to the table eyeing the food carefully. "What did you do to it?" I looked up at him as he came back to the table sitting on the opposite side. "Nothing." He said beginning to eat. "I don't believe you." I said sitting down. "Don't believe me, I don't care. You can starve if you want."

I grabbed my fork picked up some egg and put it in front of Sasuke's mouth. Unwillingly he at it. "Happy?" I smiled at him. "Very!" and began to eat.

I stopped eating. "If you made me breakfast because you feel sorr-" Sasuke interrupted me.

"Feel sorry for you?" He shook his head. "Not possible." He smiled mischievously. "It's a gift for finally being free of- Owww!" I kicked him hard under the table before he had the chance to finish the sentence. "Trust me no one is happier than me." I grabbed his glass of juice and began drinking it; he quickly took it away from me. "If you want you can get up and get your own." I stuck my tongue out at him. "Hey, maybe now you can go out and date one of your fangirls that like you so much or whatever it is you do with them." I mocked.

"The only one I want to like me…" Sasuke mumbled the rest and I wasn't able to hear completely. Part of me wanted to know what he had said but I wasn't going to embarrass myself by asking.

I was almost done eating when I got the urge to throw up. I got up and ran to the bathroom throwing up everything I just finished eating into the toilet. When I was done I went to the sink and rinsed out my mouth. "This is happening too soon…" I whispered looking at my pale expression in the mirror. "Are you ok?" Sasuke asked standing in front of the door. "I'm fine." I pushed Sasuke out of the way and left the house.

At the rate I was going my death would happen sooner than it was supposed to. At the very least I would have a year to find someone to bond with but throwing up… that was supposed to be one of the last things that happens to me.

"Tor!" I turned around to see Shikamaru running up to me. "Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked putting his arm around my shoulders. "Like crap." I said removing his arm. "I can tell…" he smiled making me give him a dirty look. "I heard you were in the hospital yesterday is everything al-" I interrupted him. "I'm fine, it was just a fever." I lied. "Though I am kind of disappointed that my best friend didn't come to visit me."

"Sorry about that I was on a mission and when I finally had the chance to come see you they said you left." He paused for a second. "I was really worried… Tora are you sure you're ok?" He stopped in front of me placing a hand on my forehead. "Your pale and cold as ice-" I moved his hand away making him feel hurt for rejecting his touch for a second time. I just didn't want him to realize how bad I really felt. "I'm fine so stop worrying." I smiled. "I have to go meet my team in a little while, I'll see you later." I said waving at him and heading off.

Once I met with my team at the bridge we went off on our mission, which if you ask me were jut chores no one wanted to do.

"Tora are you ok?" Sakura asked me as we pulled out weeds from an old lady's yard. "I'm fine Sakura." I said continuing to pull out weeds even though I was clearly fatigued doing so. "Let me help." Without another word Sasuke appeared next to me to help which surprised me. Normally I would protest but I was too tired to do so. Seconds later Naruto went nuts and wound up getting punched by the old lady. We were about to leave to go on another mission when Kakashi stopped me.

"Tora, you're not looking well. Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

"No amount of rest is going to help me, I'll just-" Kakashi interrupted me.

"Tora…" It was obvious the Hokage told Kakashi what was going on with me and arguing with him was pointless. "Fine." Without another word and ignoring Naruto and Sakura's questions about where I was going I left.

I was lying on my bed for about an hour now trying to get some sleep but it was useless, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get to sleep. I gave up on sleeping and decided to do the Hokage and Ebisu a favor and search for Konohamaru. I was wondering around the streets when I heard Naruto yelling and Konohamaru whimpering, when I rounded the corner I saw a sand genin drop Konohamaru to the ground. "Naruto!" Konohamaru cried running to hide behind Naruto as the sand genin tried picking a fight with Sasuke. My kekkei genkai activated when I sensed another ninja. Seconds later, he appeared upside down on the tree Sasuke was in. "What are you doing, Kankuro?" Everyone especially the sand ninja froze in their place. I grabbed my temples as I began to hear everyone's frantic thoughts.

_'Tora concentrate!'_ I told myself as I began to concentrate on the one person whose thoughts I couldn't hear, Sasuke's. Little by little everyone's thoughts began to fade but my kekkei genkai still remained activated. The redheaded the ninja appeared next to his team members that looked totally scared and told them to leave but not before he asked for Sasuke's name.

As I walked past the sand ninja I stopped in my tracks as I heard the thoughts of the redheaded. It was as if two minds, two voices were fighting for control. Then suddenly when our gazes met his thoughts were blocked from me. Without realizing what I was doing I went closer to him. Listening to this team members thoughts, I found his name. "Gaara?" I inch closer about to touch his face. "How are you able to-" I saw sand start to come up around followed by the smell of blood. I quickly moved away from him to stand beside Sasuke. "Are you insane? No one ever gets that close to Gaara." The blonde girl named Temari said in surprise. "Not unless you have a death wish." Kankuro added. "Maybe I do." I moving away from Sasuke and turning my attention to Konohamaru. "Konohamaru!" I grabbed his ear. "How many times have you been told not to run off?" I scolded.

"T-Tora! Tora!" He whined as I pulled him harder. "Wait, you don't understand!" He protested.

"No excuses. The Hokage is angry at all of you," I said looking at his friends. "For skipping out on training!" I began walking pulling Konohamaru by the ear. "Come on." I told his friend so they would follow me.

I brought Konohamaru and his friends back to Ebisu at the Academy and went to eat Ramen.

"Do you honestly have a death wish?" Sasuke asked as he joined me walking to Ichiruka's.

"What do you want Uchiha?" I didn't really want to be bothered by him today. "Answer the question." He insisted.

"No, but since I'm already dying I figure I have nothing to lose." I said as I entered Ichiruka's and ordered a bowl of Ramen.

"What were you doing anyway?"

"You really can't leave me alone can you?" I asked, rhetorically, but he answered anyway. "Does it bother you?" I gave him a duh stare before I answered him. "Yes." He smiled. "Then no, I can't." I went on to answering his original question. "The red head 'Gaara' I could hear his thoughts and then I couldn't."

"Like me?" Sasuke asked as I took a bite of my food. "No." I put my chopsticks down when I began to feel nauseous. "You're different; I can't hear your thoughts at all. It's one of the things I like about you." I felt like slapping myself for telling him that. He just stared at me.

Feeling like I was going to throw up again I quickly paid for my food, running out to the bushes and empting what little content my stomach contained. When I was done I moved over to rest under a tree laying my head on my knees. I heard a twig snap. Without looking up knew that Sasuke had followed me. "I swear Uchiha if you ask me if I'm ok I'll follow through on my death treat."

"I wasn't" I gave him a questioning stare. "I just thought you'd want some company."

For the next hour we didn't speak a word to each other but it felt comfortable to have someone around me even if it was Sasuke.


	15. Chapter 14

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

The day started out crappy as ever I hadn't gotten much sleep and to top it off my kekkei genkai had been activated for four hours straight and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't gain control of it.

My team was meeting Kakashi at the bridge; he wanted to speak to us about something important. To add to my crap filled day I was late to the meeting place.

Everyone was there when I arrived including Kakashi. "Tora you're late." Kakashi spoke the moment I arrived.

"How was I supposed to know you would get here early for once?" I said brushing him off. "Anyway I brought you all here to speak to you guys about the Chunin exams…." I tuned him out already knowing what he was going to say. "Kakashi if you even try to leave me out of it," I interrupted him speaking in a threatening tone when I heard what he was thinking. "I will murder you and hid your body where no one not even the Hokage can find it…" he just stared at me dumbfounded. I knew he had spoken to the Hokage about me not participating in the exams because of my "condition" and he was thinking about talking to me about it. There was no way I was going to back down.

"Tora what are you talking about?" Sakura butted in. "It's none of your business." I spoke back at her coldly.

After explaining everything to us we were able to leave to go get ready for the first part of the exam that would begin in one hour. On my way to meet up with my team I saw Shikamaru sitting on one of the swings looking angry and sad as I passed by the park. So I decided to walk up to him.

"Shika, why the long face?" I asked sitting in the swing beside him. The moment he saw me he looked surprised but it quickly faded back to his sad and angry expression.

"Tora how come you didn't tell me?" I knew what he was talking about. I took a deep breath. "What did you want me to do? Randomly go up to you and tell you that my time is up? That I'm dying?" I looked from him up to the sky.

"Lying to me and telling me that you're fine isn't like you Tor." He was right I never lied to him in my life. "It's not but telling you the truth wouldn't have made you happy either would it?" I looked straight at him. "Besides there is nothing anyone can do about it."

"What about the bond with the dragonflies?" I know Shikamaru didn't want anything bad to happen to me but what he was proposing was not on my list of things to do at the moment.

"Not going to happen. Even if I wanted to it wouldn't matter because I have no one-"

"What about me?" Shikamaru asked surprising me.

"You know I couldn't do that… Shikamaru you're my best friend. I know you care about me," I told Shikamaru everything about my clan when we were younger and he told me everything about his. Since we've known each other we have told each other everything so he knew what that bond meant. "Besides, you aren't Irai, it wouldn't work anyway." Shikamaru looked disappointed.

"Don't worry so much, I still have a lot of time. When I start to have visions that's when you should worry." Being part of the Irai meant that at a certain point in your life you would start to have visions of the future, usually around your 27th birthday when you begin to die and you would continue to have them till the day you die or until the bond was formed.

"Give me your hands." Shikamaru held out his hands for me to grab. He knew that the only way for an Irai to have a vision is by physical contact with another person. This was his way of making sure I wasn't having any. I grabbed his hand and if my life couldn't suck anymore I saw Shikamaru and his team standing in front of the forest gates waiting for them to open.

"Tora?" Shikamaru's voice brought me back. I smiled at him. "See nothing!" I lied and quickly let go of his hands. "Come on let's get going before were late." I said as I got up and began walking away.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V._**

I "unintentionally" listened in on Tora and Shikamaru's conversation and it left me with a lot of questions. If there was a way for Tora to stay alive why wouldn't she do it? What were the visions she was talking about and why did she lie about it to Shikamaru? I also wondered if she liked him…

After getting passed the genjutsu placed in the exam area Naruto went off to fight Rock Lee. I looked over to Tora other than looking worse than before she looked angry. "What's wrong?" I asked as she watched Naruto's fight begin. Before answering Tora stared at me deciding whether or not to answer me.

"I'm just annoyed that I didn't notice the genjutsu." I was surprised she told me that. "We didn't notice either." I said referring to Naruto and me.

"I know, but it's different this time. Whatever it doesn't matter..." She shook her head and look away from me back to Naruto's fight.

"Tor-" I didn't get to say anything else as Rock Lee's sensei interrupted us.

**_Tora's P.O.V_**

The moment we walked into the exam room there were different types of ninja all over and they particularly did not seem to like us. A sound ninja began talking to us and telling us everything about the sand ninja and other ninja that were around. Everyone seemed to like him; I on the other hand did not, which at this point was about the only bit of normal I could get.

"Tora are you ok?" Naruto looked up from the cards Kabuto was showing them and stood up next to me. "You're all sweaty and pale." He touched my forehead, causing me to have a vision of him in the forest. I got mad instantly slapping his hand away and grabbing him by the neck. "How many times do I have to say it Naruto? I don't like to be touched." He tried to speak but I only tightened my grip. Sakura protested but I ignored her. Then Shikamaru spoke.

"Tor, relax he was just worried about you." My grip on Naruto's neck loosened a bit. "Tora, killing Naruto isn't going to get us anywhere." Sasuke spoke putting his hand on my wrist so I would let go. Even though I was still angry I let him go and said "sorry."

"You're Tora Irai right? You have visions of the future when you have skin to skin contact, don't you? That's why you don't like to be touched." Kabuto spoke and if it wasn't because he was a sound ninja I would have hurt him on the spot for announcing to everyone that I have visions every time I touch someone. "Yes. I don't and no." He didn't get the chance to say anything else as the examiner came in.


	16. Chapter 15

**_Tora's P.O.V_**

No cheating my butt! Thankfully my kekkei genkai agreed with me at the moment and I could read everyone's thoughts to get the right answers but I also figured out that this test didn't really mean anything so I decided not to answer the questions. Thanks to Naruto's little speech before the last question was announced most of the ninjas wound up staying.

Right after we were dismissed to prepare for the exam in the forest I began to cough uncontrollably as I covered my mouth I tasted the bitterness of copper and felt something warm and sticking on my hand. "Blood?" I whispered when I looked at my hand.

"Tor, you ok?" I heard Shikamaru ask from behind me. I quickly whipped my mouth with the back of my hand before turning to answer him.

"Fine." I gave him a fake smile. He didn't believe me and tried to look at the bloody hand behind my back. "Tora…" He scolded me seeing through my lie. He reached a hand towards my forehead and I instinctively flinched away to avoid having another vision. He looked shocked but most of all he felt rejected. It was the first time I've ever avoided his touch. "Shikamaru I'm fine." I reassured him. "I promise." I hated myself for lying to him but I didn't want him to worry about me. With that said I walked away from him going outside.

"Lying to your best friend?" I turned towards Sasuke.

"Eavesdropping? Don't you have better things to do Uchiha?"

"Watching you lie is entertaining."

"Whatever." I said brushing him off and beginning to walk away from him. In less than a second he was in front of me causing me to bump into him. "Seriously Uchiha?" I asked about to rub my fore head when he caught my hand and handed me a tissue, reminding me that there was blood on my hand.

"Thanks." I said pushing passed him.

"Tora how are you feeling?" The Hokage asked the moment I came home.

"I'm dying, how do you think I feel?" I snapped at him.

"Now Tora no need to be angry I was only concerned." I had to admit I was angry but not at the Hokage he had done nothing to me but I was angry at everything that was happening to me.

"You should have told me sooner…" I said in a low tone more to myself than to the Hokage.

"Tora you remember those picnics we used to have when you were younger?" He asked ignoring what I had said.

"Yeah."

"After the exam in the forest, I want you to go on a picnic with me." He looked at me pleadingly.

"What makes you think I'll last that long?" I wasn't trying to be mean but it was the truth.

"I have something to give you so if you do _"last that long"_ you know where to find me." He said ignoring my last question and walking away from me.

"Crazy old-" The Hokage's voice interrupted me. "Tora don't you dare finish that sentence." He scolded me in a fatherly manner.

I went to change when I realized the in my eagerness to leave the Uchiha's house I had left all my belongings at his house; my weapons and clothes. I cursed myself I did not want to go back, I wanted to avoid him as much as possible but I had too.

"Give me my things Uchiha!" I was going to murder him. I arrived at his house but he didn't want to give me my things... they weren't in the place I had put them, he hid them from me. "No."

"Why... I don't have the patience for this..." I quickly grabbed the kunai that Sasuke had so kindly left on the kitchen counter and appeared behind him holding the kunai to his neck; fully intending to follow through on my death threat if he did not hand my things over. "If you want to keep your life give it to me now." I fell short on my threat when my hand started shaking. "Crap." I whispered to myself dropping the kunai. "You know what just keep them." I started to walk towards the door when Sasuke spoke. "If there is a way for you to stay alive why don't you do it?"

"Listening in on others conversations... Is that a habit of yours Uchiha?" I continued for the door annoyed that he continuously eavesdropped on my conversations with Shikamaru. In seconds he had turned me around and pushed me up against the door. "What the hell Uchiha?" I yelled at him. I was hurting enough I didn't need him to slam my back against the door to make it worse.

"Answer my question!" He ordered angry pinning my wrist to the sides of my head to stop me from moving away. It was the first time I'd ever heard him yell angry at me and for some reason it bothered me. With the last bit of strength I had I pulled my wrist free and pushed him away. "No one here is Irai! I couldn't do it even if I wanted to!" I said my breathing becoming heavy. "What does that have to do with it?" he asked as I slumped down to sit on the floor, feeling weak.

"You have to be Irai, because our kekkei genkai can't control someone who has it." I took a deep breath. "It's the only way a bond can be formed, only with an Irai."

"Your kekkei genkai can't control me." Sasuke bent down next to me. "Let me help you?"

"You want to help me? Why?" I asked as my vision began getting blurry.

"Because I want to."

"Why would the _'great'_ Uchiha want to help, me?" I thought he hated me as much as I hated him, why in the world would he want to help me? It didn't make sense. Though I did have to admit that being forced to spend time with Sasuke did make me hate him less and trust him more, I didn't think it was the same for him.

"We're friends. Friends help each other." He spoke to me like if I was retarded. I tried to glare at him but it felt short seeing as how I couldn't see well. "Since when?" I asked as my nose started to bleed, a sign that I was close to dying. I whipped the blood away with the back of my right hand as Sasuke continued to stare at me. "No, I don't want your help." My stubbornness might be getting the best of me right now.

"But you don't want to die either." I looked away from him. "No."

"Then let me help." I thought it over, it looked genuine in his wanting to help me but did I really want to be bonded to him? Even if I tried there was about a 0% chance that it would work, either way I would be dead.

"Give me the kunai." I said referring to the one I had dropped before. He just stared at me probably thinking about what I might do. "Do you want to help me or not?" Reluctantly he handed me the kunai. "Now activate your kekkei genkai and give me your right hand." He did so but when he saw that I drew the kunai to his forearm he pulled away slightly. "What are you doing?"

Sasuke on forearm and Tora on her forearm.

"I have to cut your forearm and drink your blood for this to work." I said before entering a coughing fit. "Ok." He said moving closer to me. I activated my own kekkei genkai as I cut his right forearm and drank his blood cringing at the bitter metallic taste. "Now you." I handed the kunai to him and he did the same only on my left forearm. "That's it?" I nodded leaning my head back against the wall and laughed bitterly. "I knew this wouldn't-" "Ahh..." Both Sasuke and I cried out in union as a fierce burning sensation crept over my forearm. I looked over to Sasuke unable to believe what was happening. We both clutched our forearms as the burning sensation grew stronger and the cut healed and the blood around it forming into a black dragonfly mark. I moved closer to Sasuke, only inches apart I looked over his right forearm unable to believe what I was seeing. The same dragonfly mark I had on my left forearm appeared on his. "I can't believe it." I said tracing my left hand over his mark to make sure it was really there. I continued to trace the mark when I felt Sasuke shiver and the burning sensation picked up again, only this time more pleasant.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V._**

I shivered as Tora traced her hand over my right forearm and the burning sensation picked up again only this time more pleasant. "It worked!" She looked up smiling at me. I don't think she's ever done that without messing with me in some way. I wanted to kiss her, every touch she made over the mark intensified that. I turned my head away from her; she's made it very clear many times before that she did not like me. I shut my eyes trying to fight back the pleasure her touch gave me. Tora moved her hands away from me and without even realizing what I had done I grabbed her left hand not wanting her to stop. I pulled her closer so that there was no space between us, the closeness intensifying what I felt. Her forehead pressed against mine made it harder to resist. "Sasuke..." She spoke my name breathlessly. It was the first time, since I've known her that she ever spoke my name and it cut right through me. I wanted her closer, and I needed to kiss her. Without a second thought I pressed my lips against hers.

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

With every finger I traced over Sasuke's mark my feelings intensified. I wanted to be closer to him, I wanted him. Realizing I was fighting back the pleasure touching him brought me I moved my hands away from him but in less than a second Sasuke grabbed my left hand and pulled me closer. His closeness quickened my breath and without thinking I pressed my forehead against his. Before I could make a move Sasuke pressed his lips against mine.

A voice in the back of my head kept telling me to push him away, to not let this go any further but I wanted it to go further. I wanted Sasuke closer, I wanted to kiss him back and for the first time ever I did.

Deepening the kiss he straddled me on the floor nipping at my bottom lip begging from entrance. Without hesitation I granted it beginning a fight for dominance. Sasuke won causing me to moan into the kiss and our marks to burn hotter. He left my lips trailing kisses from my jawline down to my neck. His hands lifted my shirt and slowly made their way up. "Sasuke-" A moan escaped my lips preventing me from finishing my sentence. I had to stop this if I let this continue the bond would be permanent for both of us. "We have to stop." He stopped nipping at my neck and began kissing me again. I put my hands on his chest an slightly pushed him away to catch my breath. "I don't want to..." He laced my left hand with his right, our marks closer and burning hotter than ever. Although it was only partly true, I wanted him more than anything right this moment but I didn't want him to be bound to me for the rest of his life without him knowing it. The incomplete mark would keep me alive and well for a few years. "But I do…" he said and reluctantly moved off me, then helped me up. In a second I felt dizzy but Sasuke held my shoulders to stop me from swaying. "Come on you need to get some rest, we have a long day tomorrow." Not giving me any chance to protest he picked me up bridal style and placed me on the bed in his room.

"I swear if you lie down next to me I will murder you." A total lie but I couldn't have him next to me.

"I wouldn't dream about it." He said sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Says the boy who keeps kissing me." I said getting comfortable.

"You kissed back." He smirked.

"Whatever." I replied not knowing what to say and feeling too exhausted to argue.

I did kiss back but I didn't know whether I did it because of the effects of the mark or because instead of hating him I actually like him. After a long silence Sasuke finally spoke.

"What does it mean?" He traced a hand over his mark. "The dragonfly?"

I sat up on the bed leaning against the wall. "Dragonflies are like the Irai; they live short lives and are creatures of the water & wind."

"Wind? But your elements are water and fire."

"If you haven't noticed by now I'm a big exception to all things Irai..." I trailed off when Sasuke caught me staring; I quickly looked away. "They represent the change that comes on our twenty-seventh birthday. They are linked to the subconscious, which is why it's so important in my clan; it's the link to our visions of the future. The mark is a reminder that the decision we made can't be taken back."

"No one in your clan is able to pass the age of twenty-seven without making the bond?" I looked over to him and nodded my head. "Our kekkei genkai, our ability to see the future and domain over water and wind limits our lifespan. It uses too much of our chakra."

"You're different…" I knew what he was referring to; I was fifteen and already had to form the bond. Not to mention that instead of being able to control the wind element I control the fire element.

"The experiments done on me in that lab, when I was younger, changed me." I stared down at my mark. "This wasn't supposed to happen now…" I laid down and turned over on my side facing away from Sasuke.

I felt Sasuke change his position also, probably to get a better look at me. "Sasuke don't think for a second that just because you helped me I'm going to be nicer to you."

"I never thought you would." Sasuke was about to leave when I turned over and grabbed his left wrist to stop him.

_'__Don't leave…'_ I thought but instantly let go of his wrist when I realized what I was doing. I was thankful that the bond between us was incomplete if not he would have heard that.

"What?" He asked looking confused.

"Nothing." I didn't want to be alone but I wasn't willing to tell him that.

**_Sasuke's P.O.V_**

_'__Don't leave…'_ it sounded nothing more than a whisper coming from Tora but I didn't see her lips move. I must be imagining things; Tora would never say that to me.

"What?" I asked still confused.

"Nothing." She didn't say anything after that and I didn't leave. I don't know how but I knew she didn't want to be anole, I felt it.

"Weren't you leaving?"

"Not yet." She stared at me with a surprised expression.

We spent the next hour talking and at some point we fell asleep.


	17. Chapter 16

**_Tora's P.O.V_**

I woke up felling refreshed, for the first time since I woke up in Konoha I didn't have a nightmare while I slept. Maybe the bond did more good than I expected. I was about to move off the bed when I felt an arm around my waist. I turned over to see Sasuke; I freaked out and pushed him off the bed.

"Ow!" Sasuke said when he hit the floor. "What the hell was that for?!" he asked annoyed while picking himself up off the floor.

"You know what that was for! You were sleeping on the same bed as me!" He just stared. I know it wasn't his fault but still. _'I can't let myself be that close to him.'_

"Why can't you let yourself get that close to me?"

"How?" I know I didn't say that out loud, does that mean… _'Can you hear what I'm thinking?"_

"Yes." Sasuke answered confused. "How is that possible?" I ignored him and grabbed his right arm, the mark was still incomplete and he was an Uchiha. _'This shouldn't be possible.'_

"What shouldn't?" I looked up at him. "Stop talking." He was about to interrupt me so I let go of his arm and held my hand over his mouth. "Anything you want to say think it, don't say it."

_'__What's going on? How can I hear your thoughts?' _

_'__I can hear you!'_ I thought surprised.

"Are you going to explain?" Sasuke asked looking slightly annoyed that I was not answering any of his questions.

"A side effect from the bond is being able to hear each other's thoughts and in some cases know what they're feeling."

"Why didn't you say anything about it before?" He asked watching me move off the bed.

"Well for one you're Uchiha and I'm Irai I didn't think this would even work," I lifted up my left forearm and pointed at the dragonfly mark. "let alone that we would hear each other's thoughts. Apparently our clans are more alike than I would have ever thought possible."

"Is there anything else I need to know?" I tried not to think about the link being incomplete but I did and Sasuke noticed, but before he could say anything I spoke.

"Cover the dragonfly; if anybody at the exam today recognizes it you and I are going to become targets."

"Why?"

"Considering you're an Uchiha it might work differently but because of this bond what happens to you happens to me." He was silent for a while waiting for me to continue. "In other words you die I die, I die you die."

"Wonderful." he spoke sounding slightly irritated.

"Bet you're regretting your decision to help me now." I asked, for some reason feeling slightly guilty.

"No, I'm not." he said surprising me.

_'__This is where I saw Shikamaru…'_ I thought when I got to the gates of the Forest of Death.

_'__What?'_ Sasuke asked me. It was weird how in a short time Sasuke and I have already gotten comfortable speaking to each other though telepathy.

_'__I had a vision of Shikamaru and his team waiting for the gates to open.'_ Before Sasuke could get the chance to speak Naruto caused a scene with Anko and a grass ninja and the moment the grass ninja walked by me I felt unsettled.

_'__Tora?'_ I heard Sasuke but I couldn't take my eyes off of the ninja there was something familiar about that ninja, I couldn't figure it out.

"Tora what's wrong?" Sasuke put his hand on my shoulder, pulling me out of my own thoughts.

"Nothing, that ninja just reminded me of someone..." I pushed his hand away when I noticed the grass ninja staring.

We were handed the scroll and on our way to gate number 12 we met with Shikamaru and his team.

"You look better, how are you feeling?" Shikamaru asked as we walked together. I smiled. "Great, better than I have been in days." Shikamaru just stared at me, string to figure out whether I was lying or not.

"I'm not lying this time!" I said to assure him when we reached gate number twelve. "Good luck you guys, you're going to need it with Naruto on your team!" Ino taunted before walking off with Choji. "Hey! We're gonna win, BELIEVE IT!"

"Naruto can you be any more annoying?!" Sakura yelled at him.

"I'm glad you're ok now Tor. I'm suspicions but glad." He was about to leave when I hugged him and the last thing I expected happened I had a vision.

It was of Shikamaru standing in front of the gate with his team saying they should go after Naruto first. I quickly let go of him and slapped him upside the head. "Don't for a second think we're going to be easy pickings!" Shikamaru protested but was too lazy to argue and walked off to gate twenty-seven.

I didn't have time to think about why I was still having visions, I would have to put it off till after the exams. The gates opened and we all rushed in.


	18. Chapter 17

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

It wasn't long after we entered the forest that we had some trouble with a rain ninja and soon after the grass ninja showed up.

From the moment that grass ninja showed up I knew things were going to go wrong.

"Sakura? Tora?" I heard Sasuke call out to us when the grass ninja attacked us with a genjutsu.

_'__We have to get out of here.'_

_'__I can't move.'_ I told him telepathically and I noticed he was in the same state as me only I had it worse. We agreed on the only thing we could do to escape.

_'__Time to put that bond of ours to the test.'_ He thought a moment before the grass ninja spoke.

"I expected the both of you to be more of a challenge. Especially you Irai." The grass ninja threw kunai at us but before it hit us we were gone.

Unlike Sasuke's my right thigh didn't have a deep kunai wound but I felt his pain. Maybe because our mark was incomplete or maybe because he was Uchiha either way this was not what I was expecting. We didn't have much time to think before the grass ninja returned inside a giant snake.

She summoned another snake and Naruto and I attacked it. It wasn't long before Naruto and I had our butt handed to us but Naruto was down and out for the count. Sasuke was frozen and all Sakura did was yell at him.

_'__Sakura is right. If you're just going to stand there we are all going to die!'_ I yelled at him telepathically and that seemed to get him going. We both attacked the grass ninja head on. We thought the grass ninja was defeated once Sasuke used a fire jutsu on her but we were wrong.

The ninja's face was peeling and her voice began to change.

"Yes, you'll do nicely…" That voice it was so familiar, where have I heard it before? I activated my kekkei genkai; I needed to hear her thoughts. I wanted to know who she was.

Everything hit me so fast she wasn't a she, she was a he. His thoughts paralyzed me they were as dreadful as the first time I had ever heard them. He was the man in the lab, the dark image that hunted my dreams.

"My name is-" I interrupted him. "Orochimaru." Sakura and Sasuke both looked over at me surprised.

"So my little _'lab rat'_ does remember me…" I couldn't take it everything about this man scared and angered me; I ran at him kunai in hand. A stupid move on my part, he quickly knocked me down.

"Poor little _'lab rat'_, so weak and venerable…" He trailed off giving me a once over. "I wonder." He said his face coming closer and biting down on my neck. Everything went dark as I felt excruciating pain and had a vision. The village was under attack by a large three headed snake, and there was fire everywhere. He moved away from me to Sasuke and did the same. "We will meet again."

I heard Sakura calling out for Naruto, her loud voice has never sounded so annoying. The pain in my neck was subsiding so I took the chance to look up to where Sakura and Sasuke were. Sasuke was passed out on Sakura's lap, I didn't like it but I knew I had to help. Using my chakra I quickly appeared next to Sakura covering her mouth. "Quiet Sakura or every ninja in this forest will know where we are." I whispered to her.


	19. Chapter 18

"I don't know Sakura!" We brought Sasuke and Naruto to shelter under the roots of a tree and since then Sakura would not stop questioning me. "I don't know why I'm fine and he's not!" it was as much as a mystery for me as it was for her. "How do you know him?"

"He was the one that destroyed my village and massacred my clan." I said hoping she'd drop the topic and she did, tending to Sasuke and Naruto. "Let's just get some rest for now Sakura."

**_~Dream~_**

"My little _'lab rat'_…" Everything was dark and I was running, running from Orochimaru. "So weak and venerable…" Fire blazed behind me getting closer and closer. "I know you're bonded." Orochimaru's face appeared in the darkness in front of me. "How long do you think that will last?" I stopped dead in my tracks. "Poor little _'lab rat'_, you don't have long to live…" His maniacal laugh echoed in the darkness, causing me to cry out. "Come back to me and I'll consider saving you…" his words echoed along with the laughter, the laughter that hunted most of my dreams and made them into nightmares.

**_~End Dream~ _**

I woke up in a cold sweat only to find a battle going on. Sasuke had awoken and the moment I stepped out from under the trees roots I realized why everyone was staring at him, he was completely out of control. I ran in front of him to stop him.

"Sasuke stop." He didn't respond instead he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.

"Sasuke, what are you doing? That's Tora!" Sakura yelled at him but he didn't answer back.

"Sasuke," I called out his name._ 'I know you're scared I am too but you have to stop. Don't let him control you.'_ I said the rest to him telepathically and placed my hands on the hand he had around my collar . His grip on my collar loosened and he rested his forehead on mine; the black markings on his face and arms began receding. "Tora?" He questioned confused, letting go of me once he fully realized what he was doing. _'I- I'm sorry._' He said dropping to the ground. The sound ninja gave Sasuke the earth scroll and ran off.

I took in my surroundings everyone looked like they'd just been in the fight of their lives and I missed it.

"Leave it to you to join in right at the very end." I turned towards Shikamaru.

"Better late than never."

"How are you feeling Tora?" I looked over to Sakura.

"I'm fine, why?"

"Well that's good. I tried to wake you before but I couldn't. It looked like you were having a nightmare and you kept mumbling something about a _'lab rat'_?"

"It's nothing Sakura don't worry." Knowing I didn't want to continue she walked off when Ino called her.

Shikamaru pulled me away from the others. "Let me see it." I knew what he was referring to but I played dumb, feeing like a little kid getting caught doing something wrong by her father. "Left or right?" he asked in his never changing bored yet slightly annoyed tone. "Left." I said and I held out my left arm. He pushed up my sleeve and traced my mark causing me to have a vision. He was forfeiting the third part of the Chunin exams. I pulled my arm away from him. _'Why was I still having visions?'_

"How'd you now?"

"This morning you looked a lot better and what happen right now between you and Sasuke confirmed it; it's the first time I've ever heard you call him 'Sasuke'." I should have known, Shikamaru could always tell when I was keeping something from him.

"You are too observant for your own good." I smiled. "Thanks for worrying about me Shika, but I'm ok now." I kissed his cheek and walked away from him and back to Sasuke who was still sitting on the ground.

"Let me see that wound on you thigh." I said sitting down next to Sasuke. "What was that about?" He asked referring to me kissing Shikamaru on the cheek. "He was just worried." I said pointing at his thigh. "Its fine it doesn't hurt anymore."

"I know that's why I want to check it."

"You were wrong, you know." I began taking the bandages off his thigh. "What happens to one of us doesn't happen to the other."

"I was, but I felt the pain your wound caused you-" I stopped talking when I saw that Sasuke's wound was completely healed, that's why I stopped feeling his pain.

_'__How?'_ I thought looking up at him surprised. Did that mark on his neck do this?

_'__I don't know.'_ He said beginning to rap the bandages around his thigh again. We agreed that it would be better to hide this for now and figure it out later. Soon we all separated and my team was finally able to get another heaven scroll and reach the tower. Unfortunately we had help from Kabuto.


	20. Chapter 19

**Tora's P.O.V**

The preliminary battles were about to begin and in all honesty all I wanted to do was leave and rest._ 'The faster we got this over with the better.' _

_'__A little impatient are we?'_

_'__Don't push me Uchiha, I'm tired.'_

_'__I was only stating a fact.'_

_'__Whatever.'_ I thought using my chakra to appear next to the Hokage.

"Tora." He said as I sat on top of the railing next to him. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"No, I just missed you." I smiled.

"I missed you to but you should get back to your team."

"I met Orochimaru." The Hokage didn't look surprised nor did Anko.

Sasuke and a leaf ninja were the first ones to start. It looked like this was going to be interesting.

"Go on." The Hokage said curious as to want I had to say. I felt Sasuke struggling with the mark on his neck. _'Relax.' _I told him telepathically.

"He tried to give me the same mark he gave Sasuke but it didn't work." Now they looked surprised. "How is that possible?" Anko asked surprised at how loud she'd been. "I don't know." I said honestly, I didn't even know what the mark was. I grabbed my neck in pain when I felt Sasuke's pain, the mark on his neck was activating. "Tora, what's wrong?" The Hokage asked concerned.

"It's nothing." I said then the pain disappeared, Sasuke's mark receding. Soon his fight was over.

_'__Oh how the mighty have fallen.' _I couldn't resist, I had to taunt him; he copied Rock Lee's move.

_'__Shut up! I won didn't I?'_

_'__Yes you did.'_ He began walking off with Kakashi and the next person was to be called. It was me versus the other leaf ninja on Kabuto's team.

_'__Good luck.'_ Sasuke said to me telepathically.

_'__I won't need it, I have skill.' _

"Tora when this is over we have to talk." I nodded to the Hokage before jumping down.

"Alright let's get this over with." I said more to myself but I seemed to hit my opponent's nerve.

"There's no way a girl like you could beat me." He said in a smug tone which angered me. I really didn't want to fight I was honestly too tired to put up with an overly confident leaf ninja. I closed my eyes. "I'll give you five seconds to attack me."

"You're full of yourself little girl." Before I could say anything we were interrupted by Hayate. "If you are ready, let the second match begin."

I activated my kekkei genkai with my eyes still closed and began counting down. "1, 2, 3..." The leaf ninja threw a kunai at me I caught it but not before it scratched my right cheek. Annoyed that I didn't catch it on time I opened my eyes. "5."

"What?" the leaf ninja was about to say more but I stopped him by taking control of him.

"Hayate I think my friend here has something to say to you" I said making the leaf ninja turn towards Hayate and forfeiting. Once Hayate announced the winner of the fight I released him. He protested of course but what's done is done.

_'Tora, you could have at least put in some effort and made it more interesting.'_ I heard the Hokage's disappointed thoughts, I appeared next to him. "I was tired." I said to him.

"Tired? You still had enough strength to use your kekkei genkai." He caught me... He always did. He knew I just didn't want to be bothered with a fight. "I hope you don't do that during the finals." I laughed amused, he knew me too well. I quickly disappeared and reappeared next to my team and Shikamaru.

"Tora, why didn't you fight?" Sakura asked me when I reached them.

"That was not fun to watch at all!" Naruto protested.

"Sorry for the disappointment but I'm not here to entertain you all."

"You're no fun!" "I didn't feel like fighting." Naruto left me alone when Shikamaru spoke up.

"You ok?" He whipped the blood off my face. "You worry too much." He looked surprised. "Tora, your cut is gone." I touched my right cheek.

"How?" Shikamaru asked. I shook my head, no, I didn't know. That's something that should not be happening, rapid healing is not part of the bond and neither are the visions I'm still having. There were so many questions that needed answering, but no one knew the answer to, except maybe Orochimaru but in my mind he's never going to be an option. Soon the preliminaries were over and the Hokage gave us a month for rest and training.


	21. Chapter 20

**_Tora's P.O.V._**

"I think I know what's going on." I was at Sasuke's place, sitting down cross legged on the floor facing him, talking to him about our new found healing ability. "In the forest when I got hurt, you felt it but nothing else." I nodded at Sasuke. "It was the same in the preliminaries when you got that cut on your face I felt it." I held my hand up to stop him from speaking. I knew what he was thinking; that if one of us got hurt while the other is fine the one that's hurt heals faster.

"That's the opposite of what the bond is supposed to do."

"What if it's different because I'm an Uchiha or because of what Orochimaru did to you?" I didn't like the last one he mentioned but he did have a point, no one really knows what Orochimaru did to me in his laboratory. I was leaning more toward the reason being that he wasn't Irai. _'I know you don't like it but you have to at least consider it.' _Sasuke spoke telepathically and I reluctantly nodded.

"Ok let's put it to the test." I said pulling out a kunai, was about to cut my right forearm when he stopped me. "Relax it's not going to be deep." He hesitated . _'You need to start trusting me more when it comes to sharp objects.' _I teased. "Can you blame me? You've threatened me and others more times than I can count with one of those!" he said with a sigh and let me do it. As quick as the cut appeared it disappeared; Sasuke was right.

_'__I usually am.'_

"Yeah and Naruto is not in love with Sakura." I said slightly annoyed at his cockiness. Sasuke moved closer to me I felt my mark burn. "Don't you dare." Sasuke looked disappointed, so I brought up another topic. I couldn't have him close.

"How's the curse mark?" Being linked to Sasuke's mind did come with its perks, when he was thinking about the event with Orochimaru everything that was explained to him about it came up; since we're bonded I knew everything he did.

"It bothers me." He was looking down at the floor when I looked at him. Judging from his thoughts it did a lot more than bother him. "Don't let him get to you." I said inching closer to him and kissing his cheek. I moved back when I realized what I had just done; I must be losing it.

Sasuke laughed, most likely because he knew what I was thinking. "Why didn't it work on you?" I shook my head. "I don't know."

"Maybe it has to do with what he did to you when you were younger?" Sasuke said but the more I thought about it the annoyed I got. Orochimaru kept calling me his '_little lab rat'_ and when he tried to put the curse mark on me I felt like he was making me into his test subject again and that angered me. The dream I had in the forest of death was bothering me too. It was almost as if Orochimaru was in my dream taunting me. "Don't worry about the dream" Sasuke interrupted my thoughts; he was the only one I had told about the dream. I'm sure it was just your subconscious imagination getting the best of you." I wasn't convinced it was that simple.

"Don't let him get to you." Sasuke said mimicking me causing me to smile. While I was off guard he surprised me by kissing my lips but I pushed him away. He looked disappointed and it's not that I didn't want him to kiss me I just didn't want this to go too far so.

"I should go. I start training with the Hokage tomorrow." I got up from the floor and walked to the door. "See you in a month." I already knew Sasuke was leaving with Kakashi for training and he wouldn't be back for a month and right now I think it was the best; who knows what could happen from now to a month if he was always around. Just being next to him was invitation enough to jump him.

**_The next day_**

I was having a picnic with the Hokage in the forest; he insisted that before we began training I had to go on one with him because there were things we had to talk about.

"Tora before we start talking about what happened in the forest of death there is something I want to give you." The Hokage set his hands on a slim rectangular case in front of him. "This is belongs to you." He picked it up and handed it to me. I opened the case shocked to see what was probably the most beautiful katana I have ever seen. I traced my hand over the ice blue hilt, the blade was silver so elegant and well-polished that it almost looked white and on the bottom of the blade before the hilt written it ice blue characters was the word Irai. That's when I realized the color of the characters and hilt was the same as my eyes when I activate my kekkei genkai. "It belonged to you Father, the leader of the Irai." I never knew my father was the leader of the Irai, the Hokage never told me. "I was going to wait till you were older to give this to you but considering the circumstances I decided now was best." The Hokage went on explaining to me how the katana had an identical match given to my uncle but it was lost, most likely destroyed, the day my village was attacked.

Soon after I explained everything that was going on with Sasuke, the dragonfly mark and Orochimaru to the Hokage. He came to the same conclusion that Sasuke did; that maybe Orochimaru was just testing whatever it was that he had done to me in his lab. It's not the answer I wanted but it was the best one the Hokage could give, considering he too had no idea what Orochimaru was thinking or planning. The Hokage also though that the reason behind me still having visions had to do with the fact that the bond between Sasuke and I was incomplete. I went on to tell him about my vision of the giant snake attacking the village when Orochimaru bit me at the forest of death. The Hokage was concerned but put it aside for the rest of the picnic, so we could enjoy our afternoon together.

After we ate we headed back home, before I was about to go to my bedroom I stopped the Hokage. "I know I haven't been the easiest person to put up with these passed years but you still took care of me…" I hesitated for a second. "I really missed this, just us hanging out. We should do it more often." He nodded in agreement "Right now we don't have much time but when the Chunin exams are over we will." He said and I smiled rushing over to hug him; something I haven't done in years. Then I had a vision of the worst possible thing, his death.

**_One month later_**

When I said being away from Sasuke might best I was so wrong if anything it made me want to jump him even more, especially since we were always able to hear each other's thoughts. It was like he was with me but he wasn't. One thing's for sure I had gotten closer to Sasuke. It was the day of the Chunin exams and he was still a no show.

_'__You're not going to make it on time.'_ I told him telepathically as we were being presented to the crowd but he ignored me. Naruto was up first and we all were allowed to leave, wanting to be alone I found an empty room and waited there. Soon enough Naruto's match was over and Shikamaru was up next_. 'They already postponed your match when are you going to show?'_ I asked but again I was ignored; Sasuke was beginning to anger me.

_'Are you getting mad because I'm ignoring you or you just miss me?' _Finally!

_'Miss you Uchiha? Not likely. I'm not even mad.' _I was not going to admit the truth even though he could sense that I did miss him and that I was angry.

_'You called me by my last name.' _He knew me too well. Only when I was mad or annoyed at him did I ever call him by his last name.

_'Whatever, where are you?' _Again no answer but then again I didn't need one, he was in the room. He'd gotten better at sneaking up on me, meaning he'd gotten stronger. I turned around and before I had the chance to do anything he crashed his lips onto mine. In an instant I felt my mark burning, a sign that I should push him away right now, like I always did but instead I pulled him closer deepening the kiss. Too soon I had to pull away when I heard my name being called on the stadium.

"Still mad?" He asked me with a huge smirk on his face causing me to push him back.

"Don't go getting full of yourself." I said while walking out causing him laugh.

"How'd it go?" I asked Shikamaru as I passed him on the way to the stadium.

"I forfeit."

"You what?" I asked surprised as I walked backwards, which was a bad idea when I bumped into someone; the contact causing me to have a vision. Explosions everywhere, fire... an attack on the village and the Hokage's death. I've never had so many visions just by touching one person, I turned to face Temari. "Watch it!" She said pushing passed me.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I made my way to the center of the stadium. When I told the Hokage about the vision I had of his death he told me he's was going to be around for a long time, not to worry, but he knew that an Irai's visions are all to accurate and this confirmed that it was sooner than he thought. I looked up to where the Hokage and Kazekage were; it was the same place I saw in my vision.

"Are you ready?" the match referee sounded annoyed it must not have been the first time he asked me that. I nodded my head. I was up against a ninja from the sound village. "You may begin." I was paralyzed, I couldn't fight. Not now, knowing what was about to happen. I dogged the sound ninja when he came at me and the next second I found myself forfeiting. _'Tora, what's wrong?' _I heard Sasuke ask me telepathically.

_'Something's not right.'_ I told him and appeared next to the Hokage.

"Tora." The Hokage sounded disappointed.

"It's amazing that you were able to get passed my sand ninja with almost no effort at all." I heard the Kazekage say to me and it wasn't till he spoke that I realized how on edge his guards were. "You are very skilled for a genin." He complimented, but something about him was off.

"No need to worry Kazekage Tora is harmless..." The Hokage looked over to me. "Most of the time." He joked with a smile.

"I find that insulting."

"Why did you forfeit?"

"My vision-" The Hokage interrupted me. "Tora we've talked about this."

"But I had another and I fear it will take place today."

"We both know that an Irai's visions are absolute. You cannot change-" now I interrupted him. "I can try." He was trying to get rid of me, but that was not going to happen. I was going to stay next to him and make sure everything was going to be ok.

Sasuke was up next and the interest the Kazekage show in Sasuke was somewhat disturbing. The battle got more intense and so did the Kazekage.

"Kazekage, forgive me for being rude and not properly introducing myself. I'm Tora Irai." I said to him I had to know it what I was thinking was true the similarities were just too much. The Kazekage nodded his head but refused a hand shake. "I know very well who you are and I rather not shake hands with a _'lab rat'_."

"Excuse me?" I couldn't believe what I just heard him say. In seconds my visions started to unfold there were explosions, fires and a snake attacking the village. The Kazekage was Orochimaru in disguise and a battle between the Hokage and Orochimaru was about to begin. I couldn't let this happen; I couldn't let the Hokage die. I headed straight at Orochimaru about to attack with a fire jutsu when out of nowhere snakes flew at me from all sides. "Tora!" I heard the Hokage call out to me but it was too late the snakes were already rapping themselves around me to hold me in place.

"Now, now my _'little lab rat'_ this is not your fight." The Hokage and Orochimaru began to fight while I was forced to watch.

"Don't die old man." I said while trying to break free. _'I hate snakes. I hate snakes. I hate snakes...'_ Of all the things why did it have to be snakes? Their hissing was getting to me and every time I managed to break free of one two more took its place rapping themselves tighter around me; causing me to yell in pain. I heard Sasuke call out to me telepathically and I assured him I was fine; I lied and he knew it. The Hokage was getting beat by Orochimaru, I had to help him. I finally managed to break free by burning the snakes off. I made my way to where the Hokage was battling but I was too late he was dead and Orochimaru was gone.

I felt something in me snap; I wanted to destroy everyone that helped make this happen. My whole body caught fire it was hot but the flames did not seem to hurt me and as if I was on auto pilot I headed for the giant snake while it was distracted with the leaf ninja I landed on his back and placed my hand on it burning it to a crisp within seconds. Two sound ninja came at me but before they had the chance to get near me they were engulfed in flames. As the battle came to an end I couldn't stop, I was so angry, so sad. I couldn't control myself and I barely recognized anyone of the leaf ninja in front of me; I hurt so much everything felt unreal. I barely recognized Konohamaru and Kurenai in front of me urging me to stop; _'Tora, it's over.'_ it wasn't till I heard Sasuke's voice telepathically that I stopped. When the flames around me vanished I fell to my knees crying; I can't remember the last time I cried. "I'm sorry." I said but not referring to the leaf ninja I attacked but to the Hokage who I couldn't save. Konohamaru, also crying, came up to me and hugged me.


	22. Chapter 21

**Tora's P.O.V**

"It's amazing Tora's even alive. Using that much chakra shouldn't be possible for anyone." I heard Kurenai's voice talking to Asuma. "Thanks to her, we were able to beat that snake." Asuma defended.

"It's also thanks to her some of our ninja are in the hospital right now." Kurenai added sounding annoyed.

Why was it so dark? I realized I was lying on a bed, my bed. "Try opening your eyes dummy." I rubbed my temples. Hearing Sasuke's voice in my head was not a highlight for me at the moment. _'Get out of my head Uchiha.'_ I heard him laugh. "I'm not in your head at the moment." My eyes shot open to stare at Sasuke and my head began throbbing harshly when I sat up.

"You woke up just in time. You better get ready quick; it's almost time to go." I gave him a questioning stare and saw that he was dressed all in black and so were Asuma and Kurenai who stood by the door to my room. "The Hokage's funeral." Asuma answered for him. "It's in an hour." Kurenai added. All the events of the day before rushed through my mind stabbing me with guilt, sadness and anger all at once. "I couldn't stop it. I saw it in a vision and I couldn't stop it." Sasuke sat next to me on the side of the bed and grabbed my hand. "Tora, there was nothing you could do."

"I know but-" he interrupted me. "You told me yourself, the outcome of your visions cannot be changed." I started to cry and Sasuke pulled me close. "I wish they could." Sasuke kissed my forehead and like always our marks burned. _'Why does that always happen?'_ I shook my head; it wasn't the first time he asked. He knew I didn't want to tell him the real answer and if I didn't think about it he wouldn't know. "It's just a side effect of the bond." I gave him the same answer I always did.

At the funeral I held onto Konohamaru's hand; seeing him sob so much made my blood boil and the fact that it was raining didn't help. "Crazy old man... " I said as I approached his casket with a flower trying to hold back my tears. "I guess we're not going to go on that picnic…" I said placing the flower on the casket fighting my teary eyes. "I love you..." I walked away back to where Konohamaru was. This shouldn't have happened; I should have been able to stop it. Sasuke held my clenched fist, till then I hadn't realized I had my hand clenched and that I was crying. I immediately relaxed to his touch and whipped away my tears. _'It will take a while but it will be ok.'_ He was right but because of this now more than ever I wanted Orochimaru dead.

It wasn't long after Tsunade was named the fifth Hokage that she assigned my team a mission. She called it a 'relationship building' mission considering that things between Sasuke and Naruto were strained ever since Itachi tried to kill Naruto. She also suggested I try being nicer to Sakura; no amount of time could help me with that but I would try.

We were now on our way to the border of the Land of Rain to deliver a package to two ninja who would be waiting there to receive it. Your classic C-ranked mission; boring as ever. Though I did feel kind of strange, this would be the closest I've ever gotten the village I was born in.

_'__Are you ok?'_ Sasuke asked me telepathically, knowing how I was feeling.

_'__Yeah…'_ before I could say more Sakura interrupted us. "Hey, how come you guys always look like that?"

"Like what?" I questioned.

"Ever since the Chunin exams started you guys look at each other like you're having a conversation but you're not talking."

"Yeah I've noticed that too!" Naruto butted in. "And you guys don't argue like before." Sakura added. "You even started calling him by his name…" when did Naruto become this observant?

"I was forced to live with him, I guess you can say I hate him a little less now." I took a quick glance at Sasuke before walking ahead of him.

_'__Only a little?'_ I nodded my head at Sasuke's question. _'I'd sure love to see how you'd act if you actually did like me.'_ He smirked at me thinking of the times I've kissed him.

"For the love of God! Would you stop!" it wasn't till I caught everyone staring at me that I realized in my frustration I said that out loud.

"Stop what, Tora?" Naruto asked looking confused.

"Nothing." I said walking passed everyone. I needed distance from Sasuke before they start to think I'm insane.

"And Ino says I'm weird." I heard Sakura say from behind.

"I heard that!" I yelled back to her.

It was getting late do we decided to make camp by a nearby river close to where we would meet the two ninja from the Village Hidden in the Rain.

"Hey guys aren't you curious to know what's in the package?" Kakashi wasn't around so Naruto was getting stupid ideas.

"No." Sasuke and I said in union.

"Naruto don't be stupid. We're not supposed to look in it and if Kakashi sensei finds out you're going to get it."

"Whatever." Naruto said walking over to the bag with the package Kakashi had set down.

_'__Do you think he's this stupid, or he pretends to be?'_ I asked Sasuke causing him to chuckle. Two seconds after Naruto opened the bag Kakashi showed up and hit him over the head.

"We should get some rest, I'll take the first watch-" I interrupted Kakashi. "I'll take the first watch you guys rest."

"You can stop pretending you're asleep, Sasuke." It was late and everyone was asleep except me and Sasuke who was lying down on the ground pretending. _'I can hear your thoughts.'_ He got up and sat by me.

"You can't really be considering joining him?" I knew for a while now that Sasuke was thinking of leaving Konoha and joining Orochimaru; it was only now that I decided to confront him about it. "Would you be mad at me if I was?" I didn't answer him; I didn't need to because he knew I would be. Why wouldn't I? After everything Orochimaru has done to me I had every right to be mad at him if he joined him. I held Sasuke's left had in both of mine. "I can't see your future when I touch you. Part of me likes that but the other part hates it." I shifted my body to face him without letting go of his hand. I could feel my mark burning but I ignored it. "It's your choice, whether or not I get mad at you will not change your mind." Before Sasuke could say anything I heard a twig snap causing both of us to rise on our feet. Both Sasuke and I pulled out a kunai when we saw the bushes start to move. Two seconds later Naruto popped out. "Naruto, do you want to get killed?" Sasuke asked putting his kunai away. I didn't something didn't feel right. "Relax guys! Nature called." Leave it to Naruto to only be good at sneaking off when he had to go pee. Naruto walk off to go back to sleep but sill I felt like we were being watched. "What's wrong?" Sasuke asked.

"Something doesn't feel right."

"You probably just tired." Sasuke said coming closer to me. "Get some rest, I'll keep watch." I nodded to Sasuke. Before walking off I hugged him, wishing so badly that I could have a vision of his future. He pulled away from me slightly to kiss my forehead; he knew what I was thinking. "Get some rest." Not knowing what to say I let him go and walked off.

It was morning and I was down by the river with Sakura getting some water before we continued on to meet with the Rain ninja.

"Tora you like Sasuke don't you?"

"What?" Sakura's question caught me off guard.

"It's ok, you don't have to answer. I can tell you do." I closed the canteen I was filling. "You guys have gotten a lot closer, you're practically inseparable now."

"Sakura-" I stopped mid-sentence when I caught sight of two kunai headed straight at Sakura. I ran at her knocking her to the ground. I got up quickly throwing two explosives back in the direction that the kunai had come from. A ninja came out dressed in ice blue and black with half his face was covered his eyes barely visible. The only distinguishing marks on him were his blond hair and pale blue eyes. "Sakura go get the others." I ordered her as I pulled out my katana.


End file.
